Impact of Toombak dipping in the etiology of oral cancer: gender-exclusive hazard in the Sudan

Abstract

Background: Oral cancer (OC) mortality is very high in Sudan, particularly among men due to the habit of Toombak use (tobacco specific nitrose amine (TSN)) rich tobacco.

Aims: Our aim was to determine whether OC is gender-specific due to increased Toombak use among males as suggested a risk for subsequent development of oral cancer.

Settings and design: We conducted a descriptive study of OC in Khartoum and obtained information on Toombak use, confounding variables for 39 incident patients with oral cancerous lesions and 43 hospital-based cases without apparent oral lesions.

Materials and methods: OC was affirmed by histopathology for all patients with oral lesions, hence oral epithelial atypia and leukoplakias were detected using cytology.

Statistical analysis: Data analyzed using a computer SPSS program.

Results and conclusions: Of the 82 subjects, there were 57 (70%) Toombak users and 25 (30%) non-tobacco users. Among the 39 patients with OC, 24 (61.5%) were Toombak users and 15 (38.5%) were non-tobacco users. Among 43 with atypical changes, 10 (23.3%) were non-tobacco users and 33 (76.7%) were Toombak users. Regarding gender, only 11 (13.4%) were females, of whom 8 (72.7%) were non-tobacco users. We conclude that oral cancer, atypia and leukoplakia were high among males who were Toombak users. In view of the high incidence (29%) of OC due to Toombak use, we propose the implementation of oral screening programme restricted to Toombak users.