Morbidity of epidermoid carcinoma of the tongue in Pinar del Río, 2000 -2016

Abstract Introduction: cancer is one of the greatest problems that humanity is facing, not only for public health but for other sciences in general. Objective: to characterize the behavior of cancer from 2000 to May 2016 considering the epidemiological point of view. Method: this is a retrospective, descriptive study conducted in Pinar del Río province. Patients who attended to the head and neck cancer office at Provincial Oncology Unit with the diagnosis of epidermoid carcinoma of the tongue without exclusion criteria were taken as a target group (N = 145 patients). Results: the disease was predominant in patients from 60 years and over (62.0%), male (69.7%) and white (73.8%), with smoking and alcoholism having the highest incidence regarding risk factors (31.0%). Its location in the mobile part prevailed (67.6%). The diagnosis in 51.0% was made in stage IV, the combination of surgery and radiation therapy was the most used treatment in 28.3% of the cases. Conclusions: there was a high incidence of cancer of the tongue in Pinar del Río province, most of the cases are receiving care in advanced stages of the disease, that is why the treatments are more complex, expensive and incapacitating.