Participation of Canadian Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons in Oral, Lip, and Oropharyngeal Cancer Care

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the participation of Canadian oral and maxillofacial surgeons (OMSs) in the various phases of oral, lip, and oropharyngeal cancer care. A survey was conducted to quantify participation in oral, lip, and oropharyngeal cancer care and assess participation ranging from screening for malignancy to active treatment and rehabilitation of those with late-stage disease. Three hundred ninety-one surgeons were contacted and 206 (52.7%) responded to the online survey. The survey showed 98.1% of respondents were involved with cancer screening and 97.1% were involved in prevention and early intervention (monitoring and treatment) of premalignant lesions. In addition, 95.1% of respondents participated in diagnosis and staging of tumors. Early-stage cancer was managed surgically by 49.5% of respondents, whereas 11.2% of respondents managed late-stage disease. Management of oral rehabilitation was performed by 79.0% of respondents. OMSs are an integral part of all phases of oral and oropharyngeal cancer care, including primary surgical oncology, in Canada. Although OMSs in Canada participate widely in integral prevention and survivor rehabilitation programs, few members participate in late-stage disease management and regional multidisciplinary care teams.