Demographic characteristics of patients with laryngeal cancer and their socioeconomic status.

PURPOSE: To define demographic characteristics of patients with laryngeal cancer in central Serbia, and to investigate possible relationships between their socioeconomical status and the appearance of laryngeal cancer. METHODS: 100 patients (cases) with histologically verified laryngeal cancer were investigated. The control group consisted of 100 patients (controls) having no cancer. A questionnaire was filled in by both cases and controls and comparison between the groups was carried out by individual matching of demographic characteristics and socioeconomical status. RESULTS: 91% of the cases and controls were male (mean age 60 years). Most of the cases had lower educational level and poorer socioeconomical status compared to controls, whilst no difference was found between the 2 groups concerning their living in urban or rural environment. CONCLUSION: It was not possible to correlate urban environment (air pollution) as risk factor. People of lower educational level and poor socioeconomical status had increased risk of getting laryngeal cancer.