Epidemiology. Education, Health economics, Staging and prognosis 163 IP.571 Prevalence and outcome of common oral diseases in 4028 northern Italian patients R. Broccoletti, G. Bertolusso, M. Brusa, M. Carrozzo, 8. Gandolfo. Department of BtomedtcaI Sctences and Human Oncology. Oral Medicine section. Umoers~ty of Turin, Italy Introduction: Aim of our study was to investigate the preva- lence of common oral diseases m a unselected population, with particular interest m premahgnaslt conditions, studying their natural tnstory and tile exposure to some risk factors (smoke, alcohol and poor oral hygiene). Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analysed asymp- tomatic patients, observed during a campaign of pre~-ention for oral cancer from 1996 to 2003. Every patient was carefully exarrmled Illtraorally and compiled a questiolillaire givillg in- formation about risk factors. Positave patients to tile oral ex~l- mations underwent some further diagnostic protocols after re- moving local irritants; some of them had also a hlstopathologic examination. Palaents with previous diagnosis of oral diseases were excluded. Results: 4028 subject were included m the study (50.1% women). Tile econonnc and cultural level results to be middle- tall (40% of quahfied or graduates). 59.68% of the patients reported a family history of cancer. Only 31% of tile patients were exposed to some risk factors. Males resulted Slgnlfi- casatly more exposed to tobacco mad alcohol (p < 0.05). The prevalence of leukoplakaa was 0.99% (1.49°,o prevalence m males and 0.49% Ill women); males were sigmficantly younger that felnales (p ~, 0.05). Tile prevalence of hchen planus was 1.16% (1.09% prevalence ill males and 1.23% m women). Leukoplakaa had a malignant trasformation rate of 5% (2/40), whereas m the hchen planus the rate was 2.12% (1/47). The prevalence of other common diseases was: frictaonal keratosas 3.32%, reactave lesions 2.98°,`o, aphthous ulcers 2.55o,`o, can- dadosas 2.08%, herpetac infections 0.42%, granules Fordyce's 5.21%, geographic tongue 2.5%. Conclusion: Tins is the first study reporting the prevalence of oral diseases m a large population from north-west of Italy, giving maportant data for further epademaologacal studies. • Diagnostic delay in Italian patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma: the Turin experience S. Gandolfo, R. Broccolettl, D. Conrotto, G.L. Massohnl, M. Carrozzo. Department of B~omed~cal Sciences and Human OncoIogy, Oral Medicine section, Unu,ers~ty of Turin. Italy Introduction: Aml of this study was tile evaluate tile delay Ill the daagnosls of oral carcinoma, what variables can deter- mane this delays and how such delay changed during tile last 12 years. Materials and Methods: The following data of 118 patients were recorded: sex, age, risk factors, onset of symptoms, date of first medical visit and type of doctor that made it, date o f first speelahst exarrmlatlon, date of tile hlstopathologlc diagnosis, site of tile lesion, TNM classification and stage. For every patient the referral delay (RD), the patient delay (PD) and the doctor delay (DD) were calculated. Results: A significantly difference exists among the RD m the period 1992-1999 toward the period 2000-2003. PD notably decreased m 2000-2003 (P < 0.05). The stratification for sex and for salutary operators showed that the dentists' behavior changed towards the males, leading to a quicker diagnosis in the last period (P < 0.05). Tile stratification of tile PD and DD m the males visited by tile dentists showed that both contribute to tile significant reduction of the RD. In the last period, dentist recognized more early stage cancers (I and II stage) in males. ConcLusion: The RD significantly decreased in the last period. However, only for the men seen by the dentists, the improve- ment has been significantly for the DD. Contrary, the women attended to the generalistis, showed a significantly increase of tile PD m comparison to those that go to tile dentists. In concluSlOll, a COllSlderably decreased fraction of load delay makes us thilkk that, at least m our Region, there has been m these last years a good success of the campaigns of motivation. [• Bayesian geographical analysis at municipality level on oropharyngeal cancer mortality in Italy, 1980-2000 E. Bidoli 1, L. Bemardinelli 2, S. Bruzzone ~, M. Pappagallo 3, S. Franceschi 4, D. Serramo ~. SEpidem~ology Umt, Castro & R~femmento Oncolog~co, Italy, 2D~part~mento d~ Science Samtane Apphcate e Ps~cocomportamentah, Umvers~ty dt Pavia, Italy, 3ISTAT, Roma, Italy, 4 Umt of Field and Intervomon SttMles, International Agencv Jbr Research on Cance~: Lyon. France, ~Ismuto Naztonale per le Malattte h~fettwe L. Spallanzam, IRCCS, Roma, Italy Introduction: A decline m oropharyngeal cancer mortality has already been described m Italy as a whole since 1980. A descraptave geographical and temporal analysis at municipahty level was conducted m Italy to expand the information on this topic. Materials and Methods: Death certification and popula- tion counts were extracted from Itahan National Institute of Statistics. Data were disentangled by age (5-year age groups), gender, municipality of residence (N 8100), and period (1980 84, 1985 89, 1990 94 and 19952000). Hier- archical Bayesian disease-mapping techiilques were used to display and stablhse Relative Risk (RR) estimates based on small numbers at mumclpahty level. Statistical slgmficance of clusters was indicated by 95% Credibility Interval. Results: Actually m Italy 2900 deaths/year from oropharyn- geal cancer are observed. Mortality data showed a North- South gradient. In recent years, among males age-standardised (world population) mortahty rates were 5.4/100,000 (North), 3.8 (Center) and 3.4 (South) while among females rates were respectively 1.1, 0.9 and 0.8. Scattered pubhshed incidence data suggested the same North-South gradient. In 20 years, n~ortality rates dechned both among men (around 23%) and women (near 3%). In particular, among males temporal vari- ation was -37°,'o (North), -19% (Center), whereas no vari- ation was noticed m the South. At inumclpahty level, dur- ing 1980 84, males displayed statistically slgnlfiCalit clusters (RR ~ 30%) of mortality m most northeln Italy and Sardinia island while among females excesses were present exclusively m the northeastern and northwestern inunlclpahtles. In re- cent years (1995-2000), the geographic mortahty excesses (RR .- 30%, statistically significant) persisted Ill tile same areas, although less extended, both among males and females. Conclusion: Tobacco smoking and alcohol drinking are well known risk factors for oropharyngeal cancer. Changes m tra- ditional smoking and drinking habits seem to have resulted m a decrease of this cancer m both men and women m the recent past. Statistically siglilficant clusters found may help m targeting specific prilnary prevention campaigns.