Verrucous carcinoma of the oral mucosa in papua-new guinea

Twenty-nine cases of verrucous carcinoma of the oral mucosa (25 men and 4 women) are reported from Papua-New Guinea. These were discovered among a total of 315 oral cancers diagnosed histologically from 1962 to 1967 inclusive. The age range was from 30 to 70 years, with the majority of cases being in the 40 to 50 age group. The clinicopathologic features of these cases resembled those in previously reported series except that, in the present series, the patients were younger, and the tumors were located most commonly on the labial commissures and/or on the buccal mucosa. The etiology is not known. The possible influence of betel nut and tobacco are discussed. The custom of applying lime to the chewing mixture-dipping a stick in lime and then wiping it along the buccal mucosa—may play some part in producing this particular localization of the tumor.