Increased prevalence of oral potentially malignant lesions among Croatian War invalids, a cross-sectional study

• Livia Cigic ^[2] ; Dinko Martinovic ^[3] ; Jure Martinic ^[1] ; Mare Kovic ^[1] ; Ana Druzijanic ^[2] ; Ivan Galic ^[2] ; Antonija Tadin ^[2] ; Bozanela Lukanovic ^[4] ; Mirna Duzel ^[5] ; Tina Poklepovic-Pericic ^[1]
  1. [1] University of Split

     University of Split

     Croacia

     
  2. [2] Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia; Study of Dental Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
  3. [3] Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
  4. [4] Dental Medicine Office Stanko Krnjic, 20000 Dubrovnik, Croatia
  5. [5] Dental Medicine Office Franka Radic Jakir, 21300 Makarska, Croatia

  Mostrar afiliaciones +
• Localización: Journal of Clinical and Experimental Dentistry, ISSN-e 1989-5488, Vol. 15, Nº. 9 (September), 2023, págs. 734-741
• Idioma: inglés
• Enlaces
  • Texto completo
• Resumen

  • The main objective of this study was to investigate the frequency and type of oral pathological changes, oral subjective symptoms and the knowledge about oral cancer in the population of Croatian military invalids from the Homeland War.

    A total of 102 Croatian military invalids from the Homeland War participated in the study. Data were collected on the presence of subjective symptoms in the oral cavity, and a detailed clinical examination of the oral mucosa was performed.

    Almost half of the participants, 46 (45.1%), reported being smokers, and 64 (62.7%) consumed alcohol daily. Subjective symptoms in the oral cavity were reported by 25 (24.5%) of them. Pathological changes were found in 35 (34.3%) participants, of whom 14 (13.7%) had potentially malignant changes. Pathohistological findings confirmed the diagnosis of a potentially malignant lesion in 10 subjects and indicated the presence of moderate dysplasia in two, carcinoma in situ in one, and invasive carcinoma in one.

    Participants didn’t show adequate knowledge of risk factors. Forty-one changes in the oral cavity were found in 35 subjects, and as many as 14 were potentially malignant. According to the participants, most dentists and family physicians don’t thoroughly and regularly examine their patients’ oral mucosa.