Consumption of tobacco as an etiologic factor in a group of 465 oral cancer patients in Israel

The fact that smoking and alcohol play a major role as cofactors in the etiology of oral cancer is well known. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate tobacco and alcohol habits in oral cancer patients in Israel. Data were collected from 1970-1980 on 465 patients through patient charts in Israeli hospitals. Results showed a ratio of 2:1 of men to women, 69% used tobacco and 90% of these smoked at the time of diagnosis, and 93% had smoked more than 15 years up to the time of diagnosis. Of the smokers, over 80% smoked more than 15 cigarettes per day. It was shown that the relative risk of developing oral cancer in a tobacco-using population was 3.63 and that there was a proportional risk between oral cancer development and the amount of smoking. At the time of diagnosis, all those who consumed alcohol were men (21.6%) and 67% also need tobacco. Of the drinker and smoker group, 82% smoked more than 20 cigarettes per day, showing a significant correlation between heavy alcohol drinking and heavy smoking.