Research Article

A Perspective on Tongue Diagnosis in Patients with Breast Cancer

Table 4

Comparison of tongue features between early and advanced stages of BC.

Tongue featuresEarly stages of BC (stages 0 & I)Advanced stages of BC (stages II& III & IV) value
n = 33n = 89

Tongue shape, n (%)
 Small11 (33.3%)29 (32.6%)0.332
 Median16 (48.5%)52 (58.4%)
 Enlarged6 (18.2%)8 (9.0%)
Tongue color, n (%)
 Pale20 (60.6%)40 (44.9%)0.204
 Pink-red10 (30.3%)43 (48.3%)
 Bluish3 (9.1%)6 (6.7%)
Fur thickness, n (%)
 Thin19 (57.6%)44 (49.4%)0.342
 Thick14 (42.4%)45 (50.6%)
Fur color, n (%)
 White12 (36.4%)34 (38.2%)0.852
 Yellow21 (63.6%)55 (61.8%)
Saliva, n (%)
 Normal13 (39.4%)57 (64.0%)0.014
 Wet20 (60.6%)34 (36.0%)
Thick tongue fur60.7 ± 23.159.1 ± 23.10.730
Fissures (mean ± SD)5.0 ± 6.26.1 ± 7.30.439
Teeth marks (mean ± SD)3.2 ± 2.93.5 ± 2.60.606
Ecchymoses (mean ± SD)6.8 ± 12.96.7 ± 14.80.986
 Ecchymoses in the heart-lung area5.5 ± 10.94.5 ± 10.20.642
 Ecchymoses in the left liver-gallbladder area0.4 ± 0.90.6 ± 1.40.509
 Ecchymoses in the right liver-gallbladder area0.3 ± 0.80.9 ± 2.20.037
 Ecchymoses in the spleen-stomach area0.5 ± 1.50.7 ± 2.50.723
 Ecchymoses in the kidney area00 ± 0.10.545
Red dots (mean ± SD)26.1 ± 22.324.1 ± 23.90.686
 Red dots in the heart-lung area10.6 ± 12.511.0 ± 12.70.892
 Red dots in the left liver-gallbladder area5.3 ± 6.44.6 ± 6.20.563
 Red dots in the right liver-gallbladder area7.6 ± 8.56.0 ± 6.70.276
 Red dots in the spleen-stomach area2.1 ± 4.52.0 ± 5.50.938
 Red dots in the kidney area0.5 ± 1.00.6 ± 1.60.630

values were performed by independent t-test for continuous variables and chi-square test (or Fisher’s exact) for categorical variables. .