Oral cancer in Western Australia, 1982-2006: a retrospective epidemiological study

To report differences and trends in oral cancer incidence by gender, age, indigenous status and area of residence and on mortality in Western Australia.

Data were provided by Western Australian Cancer Registry. Oral cancer definition included ICD-O-3 codes C00C08. Age-specific, direct age-standardized rates and mortality:incidence ratios were computed with 95% confidence intervals.

The incidence and death rates of oral cancer accounted for 2.3% and 1.3% of all cancers respectively. Over 25 years, the male:female incidence ratio was 2.4:1. Eighty-eight percent of new cases were over the age of 40, peaking in the sixth decade of life. The incidence rates were 14.6 and 6.2 per 100,000 per annum in men and women respectively. Over 17 years, standardized mortality rates were less than 1 per 100,000 per year, with double the deaths in men. Mortality:incidence ratios for oral cancer were between 0.4 and 0.6 with the exception of lip.

Cancer registries are the only reliable source of data for epidemiologic surveillance of cancer incidence and mortality. Results from this study are comparable with studies on oral cancer in Australia and globally.