Sociodemographic and etiologic differences of malignant orofacial tumors in Iran

Oral malignant tumors are the sixth most common malignancy in the world, and there is a recent trend of rising incidence of these tumors in young patients. The aim of this study was to compare demographic and etiologic data from young and old patients with orofacial malignant tumors. Data were obtained by retrospective analysis of files of patients with malignant orofacial tumors, who were categorized into 2 groups: the young group (< or = 40 years old) an the older group (> 60 years old). Both younger and older groups showed male predilection (male-female ratio was 1.05:1 and 2.4:1 in the younger and older groups, respectively). Consumption of tobacco and alcohol was reported by 13 young patients (31.7%) and by 45 older patients (62.5%). Tongue was the most common site for older group (37.5%), whereas that for the younger group was the parotid (29.3%). We found that the pattern of malignant orofacial tumors in the young age group was changed, and these tumors can occur in young patients who report no tobacco or alcohol use.