Oral Lymphoma Prevalence in Iranian Population: A Multicenter Retrospective Study

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Pathology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Oral lymphoma is the second most frequent malignancy in the head and neck region.
• Malignant epithelial tumors are the most common head and neck malignancies.
• There is a lack of multicenter studies on oral lymphoma frequency in Iran.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the relative frequency of oral lymphomas in Iran.
• To conduct a multicenter study on oral lymphoma in Iran.
• To analyze oral lymphoma cases over a 6-year period.

Main Methods:

• A multicenter, retrospective, cross-sectional study.
• Data extracted from the cancer research center (CRC) of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences.
• Evaluation of patient records and pathology reports for age, sex, microscopic type, and site of lesions.

Main Results:

• Oral lymphoma constitutes 1% of head and neck malignancies and 8% of all lymphomas.
• 437 new cases of oral lymphoma were registered between 2003 and 2008.
• Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma was the most common type (54.9%), predominantly in the 6th and 7th decades of life, with a male to female ratio of 1:84. Tonsils were the most common site (77.8%).

Conclusions:

• The epidemiological and histopathological characteristics of oral lymphomas in Iran are similar to those in other countries.
• Age of onset, site of involvement, patient sex, and histopathological subtype show international consistency.
• Findings contribute to understanding oral lymphoma patterns in the Iranian population.