Intra-oral squamous cell carcinoma in Nigerians under 40 years of age: a clinicopathological review of eight cases.

Intra-oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a disease commonly seen in patients aged 50 and above. A recent report on intra-oral SCC in the Nigerian population placed the mean age of occurrence for the disease at 50.7 years for male and 49.6 years for females. Age is recognized to be an important factor in the onset and outcome of diseases like cancer. The focus of this study was to conduct a clinicopathological review on the incidence, pattern of presentation, management and outcome of the disease in patients aged 40 years and below seen at the University College Hospital Ibadan, between 1980-1995. During the period under review the total number of cases of SCC was 104, out of which 8 (7.7%) occurred in patients aged 40 years and below. The figure is higher than that of 1-3% obtained in Caucasian studies. The 5 year survival rate of our patients was nil.