# Effect of Oral Inflammatory Burden on Size and Stage of Oral Tongue Cancer

## TL;DR

This study found that oral inflammation and smoking are linked to larger, more advanced tongue cancer, especially in men.

## Contribution

The study identifies oral inflammatory burden as a novel factor influencing the progression of tongue cancer.

## Key findings

- Increased oral inflammatory burden is associated with larger and more advanced tongue cancer.
- Male sex and smoking are more common in patients with advanced-stage tongue cancer.
- Oral Candida hyphae were not linked to tumor size but were associated with female sex.

## Abstract

Oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma is an aggressive life‐threatening disease, the prognosis of which is affected by tumor stage and size. We retrospectively studied whether oral inflammatory burden and established tongue carcinoma etiological factors exert an impact on tumor size and stage.

Medical records of 183 subjects diagnosed with tongue carcinoma at Helsinki University Hospital were investigated. Data on sex, smoking habits, alcohol consumption, and oral inflammatory burden were assessed by the Periodontal Burden Index, Total Dental Index, and Panorama Tomography Index. In addition, Candida hyphae in histological samples, and tumor size and stage were recorded and analyzed. History of oral potentially malignant disorders was also investigated.

Increased oral inflammatory burden, male sex, and smoking were associated significantly with larger size and advanced stage of cancer, whereas oral Candida hyphae were not associated with size of tongue carcinoma but were associated with female sex.

Male sex, oral inflammatory burden, and smoking were more common in patients with a large and advanced stage of tongue carcinoma. Thus, oral and periodontal infections and their pro‐inflammatory effects may eventually promote carcinoma growth and advance the stage, especially in males.