SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA OF THE TONGUE

Cancer is a disease with the characteristics of a disturbance or failure of the regulatory mechanisms of multiplication in a multicellular organism resulting in changes in cell behavior that is not controlled. The changes are caused by changes or genetic transformation, particularly in genes that regulate growth, namely protooncogene and tumor suppressor genes. The cells are transformed continuously proliferate and suppress the growth of normal cells. Cancer is a disease with a high mortality rate. Data Global action against cancer (2005) of the WHO (World Health Organization) states that cancer deaths could reach 45% from 2007 to 2030 is approximately 7.9 million to 11.5 million deaths. In Indonesia, according to a report Riskesdes (2007), the prevalence of cancer at 4.3 per 1000 population and the cause of death number seven (5.7%) after stroke, tuberculosis, hypertension, trauma, perinatal and diabetes mellitus (Syafriadi, 2008).

The survey results decade 70s showed the death rate from cancer has occupied 3rd position, the results of the final survey 80s decade shows the number of cancer deaths in urban areas reached 128.03 / 100,000 inhabitants, occupying 21.88% of the entire death, or the top position among the various causes of death (Desen, 2011).

In 2012, worldwide there were 14.1 million new cancer cases, 8.2 million cancer deaths and 32.6 million people living with cancer (within 5 years after diagnosis). Up to now, the cause of cancer is still unclear, various types of cancer has the particularity of each, are influenced by age, gender, ethnicity, lifestyle genetic background and many other factors (Hasibuan, 2004).

Cancer growth is not confined to the organ where it came from growing, but can spread to other organs in the body and almost no cancer can be cured spontaneously without treatment (Sukardja, 2000).

Squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue is a malignant tumor derived from epithelial mucosa of the oral cavity and is largely a kind of epidermoid carcinoma. Squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue ranges from 25% to 50% of all malignant cancers in the mouth. Carcinoma is rare in women than in men, except in the Scandinavian countries the incidence of carcinoma of the oral cavity in women because of the high incidence of high Plumer disease earlier vision syndrome. Of tongue squamous cell carcinoma of the 441 reported by Miller, 25% occurred in women and 75% among men with an average age of 63 years. According to statistics from NCI's SEER (National Cancer Institute Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results) US National Institutes of Health Cancer estimated 9,800 men and women (6.930 men and 2.870 women) were diagnosed with cancer of the tongue. Squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue is generally about men over 50 years, especially with a history of high consumption of tobacco and alcohol, are rare in children, which is about 2-6% of all cases, but the literature showed an increased incidence of three to seven percent for 25 years last. Squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue in children is a deadly disease because often unable to predict its existence and has an aggressive nature from the beginning of its formation. Although microscopic squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue in children and adults is almost the same, but due to the aggressive nature of the older children, so that the poorer prognosis in children than in adults (Sheemena, 2008)

Squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue has a poor prognosis, so early diagnosis is very necessary especially when it has happened metastasis other regions (neck and cervical). Carcinoma of the tongue often found together with syphilis and premalignant disease such as: leukoplakia, erythroplasia. According to the Field study cases of tongue cancer that occurs part dorsum of the tongue only 4%, but more malignant (undifferentiated epidermoid carcinoma) (Field, 1995).