Abstract
Oral cancer is the most common cancer among men and second only to breast cancer among women in Pakistan. For the effective control and prevention of oral cancer, Pakistan needs to recognize the importance of research and generation of the evidence-base which can inform policy making and planning and implementation of intervention programs. The objective of this review was to quantify oral cancer research output in Pakistan. A systematic electronic search in "Medline", "ISI-Web of Science" and "Pakmedinet", supplemented by a Google search, was carried out in January and February, 2014, to identify literature from Pakistan relevant to oral cancer. The selection of publications for the review was carried out according to preset criteria. Data were recorded and analyzed using Microsoft Excel. A total of 166 publications comprising 62 case series, 36 cross sectional, 31 case control, 10 basic laboratory research, eleven reviews and two trials, were included in this review. Some 35 % of the publications focused on risk factors for oral cancer. COMSATS Institute of Information Technology was the institution with the highest contribution. There is a lack of research in the field of oral cancer research in Pakistan. Focused efforts should be put in place to improve both quality and quantity of oral cancer research in the country.
Highlights
Oral cancer affects around 14.1 million people, making it one of the most prevalent cancers in the world (Warnakulasuriya, 2009)
Research is considered to be a central component of any cancer control strategy (Sullivan et al, 2014) and efforts made to reduce cancer burden involve plans and actions based on sound intervention and surveillance research, which are important for knowledge synthesis (Best et al, 2003)
In Pakistan, Government policies including those in the field of health, have neither emphasized on, nor clearly defined its research priorities (Government of Pakistan, 2001; Government of Pakistan, 2011), underscoring the importance of research
Summary
Oral cancer affects around 14.1 million people, making it one of the most prevalent cancers in the world (Warnakulasuriya, 2009). Research is considered to be a central component of any cancer control strategy (Sullivan et al, 2014) and efforts made to reduce cancer burden involve plans and actions based on sound intervention and surveillance research, which are important for knowledge synthesis (Best et al, 2003) The application of such knowledge and current results of research can help in tackling cancer mortality and morbidity in low and middle income countries (Sankaranarayanan and Boffetta, 2010). For the effective control and prevention of oral cancer, Pakistan needs to recognize the importance of research and generation of the evidence-base which can inform policy making and planning and implementation of intervention programs. Focused efforts should be put in place to improve both quality and quantity of oral cancer research in the country
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
