review · Ibom Medical Journal
Oral cancers represent a major portion of head and neck carcinomas, yet comprehensive evidence regarding their actual burden across Nigeria remains sparse. A systematic review of multiple medical databases was conducted to assess the prevalence, clinical presentation, risk factors, and public awareness across various Nigerian geopolitical zones. Findings indicate that oral cancer is frequently the most common type of head and neck carcinoma reported in regional studies. The condition is most commonly identified in males aged between their fifth and sixth decades of life. The most frequent anatomical sites involved include the tongue, palate, maxilla, and mandible. Although disease characteristics and patterns vary across different geopolitical zones, the majority of the reviewed literature consistently highlights a suboptimal level of knowledge and awareness regarding oral cancer among the Nigerian population.
Oral cancers pose a significant health burden, but effective prevention and early detection depend on public understanding and regional data. By identifying that most cases occur in older men and affect specific areas like the tongue and jaw, alongside widespread low public awareness, health authorities can better direct educational outreach and targeted screening programmes across Nigerian regions.
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Background: Oral cancers are malignant neoplasia of the lip and/or oral cavity that represent a major part of head and neck carcinomas (HNCs) along with laryngeal and pharyngeal carcinomas. Although oral cancers can be considered a health burden, available evidence on the actual burden in Nigeria is sparse. Aims: The aim of this review was to determine the prevalence, presentation, risk factors, and awareness of oral cancer in different geopolitical zones in Nigeria. Methods: Systematic literature searches were conducted in PubMed (NLM), Cochrane, Ovid Medline, OpenGrey and Google scholar databases, to identify publications on the prevalence, presentation, risk factors, and awareness of oral cancer in different geo-political zones in Nigeria. Results: Oral cancer was found to be the most common form of HNCs in several of the included studies. Although reports from included studies varied across geopolitical zones in Nigeria, generally, oral cancers were most found in males, between the 5th and 6th decade, and the tongue, palate, maxilla, and mandible were common sites. In addition, a suboptimal level of awareness of oral cancer was reported by the majority of reviewed studies. Conclusion: This review showed variations in prevalence, presentation, and risk factors of oral cancer across different geopolitical zones in Nigeria and highlighted the low level of knowledge and awareness of oral cancer among the Nigerian population.
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DOI: 10.61386/imj.v18i1.586
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