Occurrence Of Oral Cancer Research Articles

Effects of BRCA1 overexpression via the NRF2 / HO1 / NQO1 pathway on oral cancer cells proliferation, migration, and apoptosis

ObjectiveHerein, we explored the influences of breast cancer susceptibility gene 1 (BRCA1) overexpression on oral cancer cells proliferation, migration, and apoptosis via evaluation of its interactions with nuclear factor erythroid 2-like 2 (NRF2). DesignCAL-27 and DOK cells were transfected with a BRCA1 overexpressing lentivirus. Next, we utilized Western blot and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analyses to evaluate BRCA1, NRF2, and their target gene expressions. Using cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assessment, we assessed cell proliferation and a scratch test detected CAL-27 cell migration. Additionally, flow cytometry was employed used to examine cell apoptosis, while an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assa (ELISA) was employed for evaluation of 8-hydroxy-2′- deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) expression. An immunohistochemical analysis was employed to determine the NRF2 target genes and Ki-67 expressions. ResultsBRCA1 overexpression increased the NRF2 and its target gene transcript and protein expressions. CCK-8 and scratch test results showed that BRCA1 overexpression decreased cell proliferation and weakened CAL-27 cell migratory ability. Flow cytometry results showed that BRCA1 overexpression promoted cell apoptosis in a time-dependent manner, while enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay results showed that BRCA1 overexpression decreased 8-OHdG expression levels in CAL-27 and DOK cells. Immunohistochemical analysis results showed higher expression of NRF2 target genes and Ki-67 in oral squamous cell carcinoma cells. ConclusionsExperiments involving oral cancer cells confirmed that BRCA1 overexpression could up-regulate the NRF2 signalling pathway, reduce oxidative damage, and inhibit cell proliferation and other biological behaviours. The BRCA1 and NRF2 pathways might be associated with oral cancer occurrence and development.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms: A paradigm in oral disease research

Background: A higher occurrence of oral cancer is observed in South Asian and Southeast Asian countries when compared with other countries in the world. Cancer, a disease with complex pathophysiology, has been linked to chronic inflammation. Inflammation has been considered an important component of tumor initiation and progression. This is supported by the fact that many cancers arise at the sites of chronic inflammation, but the exact mechanism by which inflammation influences cancer is unknown. Purpose: This review article correlates single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), chronic inflammation, and oral cancer. The article emphasizes the critical role that SNPs play in oral cancer susceptibility, progression, and prognosis. This involves discussing the impact of specific SNPs on oral cancer risk and patient outcomes. Review: Gene polymorphism has been documented in the molecular pathogenesis of various cancers, including oral cancer, and SNPs are the most common form of gene polymorphism. Genetic variation has been documented in the molecular pathogenesis of various cancers, including oral cancer, and SNPs are the most common form of gene polymorphism. SNPs have been documented in inflammatory conditions as well as in various diseases. Conclusion: SNPs have phenotypic consequences and therefore can serve as genetic fingerprints. The upregulation or downregulation of genes is able to drive oral carcinogenesis.

Longitudinal Study of Oral Precancerous Lesions: Transformation Rate and Predictive Markers for Malignancy.

One of the main risk factors for the occurrence of oral cancer is oral precancerous lesions (OPLs). Early management and preventive efforts depend on knowing the transformation rate and detecting predictive signs of malignancy. For 6 months, a group of 200 individuals with clinically diagnosed OPLs was followed up on in this longitudinal research. To examine biomarker expression levels and describe the lesions, examinations using immunohistochemistry, histopathology, and clinical methods were carried out. Over the course of 2 years, 200 patients with OPLs were monitored in this study. Most lesions had mild dysplasia, according to histopathological examination. The expression of many biomarkers that were correlated with the dysplasia grade were p53 (60.0%), Ki-67 (40.0%), CDKN2A (30.0%), and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) (25.0%). In summary, this study emphasizes how crucial it is to provide patients with OPLs with individualized care plans and routine surveillance. Certain biomarkers, such EGFR, Ki-67, and p53, can be useful prognostic markers for identifying malignant transformation. To confirm these results and create tailored therapies for high-risk patients, more study is necessary.

Environmental Determinants of Oral Cancer Development: An Overview

Overview: This review article delves into the influence of environmental factors on the onset of oral cancer. It examines the crucial part played by air pollution, occupational exposure and sun exposure in the initiation of oral cancer. Methods: For this extensive literature survey, we examined relevant publications centered on environmental causes of oral cancer, taking into account case-control research and environmental exposure appraisals. Our selection consisted of works chosen for alignment with our topic areas, robust methodologies, and recent publishing timelines. Results: Our investigation revealed that air pollution, occupational exposure and sun exposure are significant factors contributing to the development of oral cancer. When present together, they pose an even greater risk. In other words, the combination of these three environmental elements significantly increases the likelihood of oral cancer occurrence. It is crucial to take measures to reduce exposure to occupational exposure, air pollution and UV rays from the sun to mitigate this risk. Conclusion: The emergence of oral cancer arises from an intricate relationship encompassing hereditary and ecological variables. Efforts devoted to prevention ought to prioritize diminishing direct exposure to established threats, refining general wellbeing guidelines, and informing individuals prone to elevated risk circumstances. Expanded exploration stays imperative for illuminating contributions made by obscured ecological facets, notably pollution, plus devising groundbreaking precautionary tactics.

Association between non-healing precancerous oral lesions and ulcers with tobacco smoking: A population-based study

BackgroundThis study aims to identify early detection of precancerous lesions amongst high-risk individuals (motor park workers). Though anecdotal evidence suggests they are high users of alcohol, marijuana, and cigarette smoking which are prominent risk factors for the occurrence of oral cancers the occurrence of precancerous lesions in this group has not been determined. MethodThis was a prospective cross-sectional study of a target population of motor park workers (40 years and above). Participants were selected from motor parks in Lagos. All participants had an examination of oral mucosa done for pre-cancerous or cancerous lesions. All suspected mucosa were stained with toluidine blue. All positively stained mucosa were repeated after 1 week for confirmation blue for suspicious cases. Positive cases were biopsied and histology was determined. ResultA total of 453 participants completed the survey. The mean age of participants was 39.4 years (SD: 12.5), 52.8 % were male, while 47.2 % were female. A majority of ever and current smokers did not have oral ulcers, and all the participants with oral ulcers did not indicate a history of smoking. a history of ever-smoking was significantly associated with higher odds of oral lesions in both bivariate (OR: 4.58; 95 % CI: 2.04,10.29; p:<0.001) and multivariate models (OR:2.76). ConclusionSmoking was significantly associated with oral pre-cancerous lesions in this study.

Factors associated with recurrence in patients with oral cancer in Mongolia

IntroductionIn Mongolia, there has been limited research on the posttreatment survival rate, recurrence, and occurrence of oral cancer. The goal of this study is to investigate the risk factors that contribute to the recurrence of oral cancer to increase survival rates, facilitate early detection, and improve treatment accuracy.MethodA retrospective cohort method was used, with medical records from 173 patients diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the mouth at the National Cancer Center of Mongolia’s Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Radio, and Chemotherapy between 2012 and 2017. The Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences’ Research Ethics Committee approved the project.ResultsThe findings revealed that 109 cases (63.0%) were men and 64 (37.0%) were females, with a large proportion of patients (28.3%) falling between the ages of 61 and 70. Men had a 3.8 times higher risk of cancer recurrence than women (OR = 3.79, CI = 1.24–11.57). Furthermore, lymph node metastases and treatment were linked to oral cancer recurrence.ConclusionThis study offers light on the factors that influence the recurrence of oral cancer, giving useful insights for improving patient outcomes through early detection and proper treatment.

Salivary Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio as a Prognostic Predictor of Oral Premalignant and Malignant Disorders: A Prospective Study.

Inflammation is a definitive characteristic of carcinogenesis. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is an easy and efficient indicator of inflammation and a valuable marker in individuals with malignancies. The present study was performed to ascertain NLR values in salivary samples collected from individuals with oral premalignant disorders (OPMDs) and to assess the prognostic significance of NLR in distinguishing OPMDs from oral malignancies. This study was conducted on 50 patients histopathologically diagnosed with OPMDs with mild dysplasia. The patients were provided with standard medicinal treatment, encouraged to quit their habits, and followed up for one year at three-month regular intervals. During the follow-up, 29 (67.4%) patients completely recovered, whereas 14 (32.6%) developed oral malignancies. Salivary samples were collected at baseline (T0) and one-year follow-up (T1). The total salivary neutrophils and lymphocytes were counted using an improved cell counting method with a Neubauer chamber. The NLR values were calculated at T0 and T1. The paired t-test was used to compare the NLR values at T0 and T1. The cutoff value of the NLR was determined using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The Youden index was used to determine the optimal cutoff NLR values in the groups. Statistical significance was set at p ≤0.05. OPMDs were predominantly observed in males, with leukoplakia being the most prevailing one. Erythroplakia exhibited the highest propensity for malignant transformation, and habitual consumption of alcohol and tobacco was identified as a risk factor for this transformation. NLR increased in both premalignant and malignant conditions. NLR value equal to or exceeding 4 was determined to be a reliable indicator for the occurrence of oral cancer in patients with OPMDs. The ROC curve analysis yielded a sensitivity and specificity of 92%, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.928. The poor prognosis of oral cancers was associated with higher NLR values. NLR values in salivary samples can serve as an independent reliable predictor in oral cancer and OPMDs.

Oral Cancer and HPV: Review Article

Overview: Oral cancer poses a significant global health challenge, with approximately 300,000 new cases reported annually. Human papillomavirus (HPV) has emerged as a major risk factor for the development of oropharyngeal cancer, constituting around 60% of all oral cancer cases. This review aims to present a comprehensive overview of the current relationship between HPV and oral cancer, covering aspects such as epidemiology, clinical features, detection, treatment, and prevention strategies. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted using Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus databases to identify studies published in English from January 1983 to the present that investigated the association between HPV and oral cancer. Relevant articles were selected based on their applicability to the topic and methodological quality. Results: The literature search yielded 115 studies that met our inclusion criteria. Our analysis revealed that HPV is a common finding in oral cancer, with a pooled prevalence rate of 72.8%. HPV-positive oral cancer is associated with younger age at diagnosis, male gender, lower stage at presentation, and better prognosis compared to HPV-negative tumors. The HPV genotype most commonly detected in oral cancer is HPV-16, followed by HPV-18. Conclusion: HPV significantly contributes to the onset of oropharyngeal cancer, and identifying it early can serve as a valuable indicator for diagnosis and prognosis. More investigation is required to grasp the molecular mechanisms involved in HPV-related oral cancer and to formulate successful prevention and treatment approaches. Immunization against HPV, particularly in young males, shows potential for decreasing the occurrence of oral cancer linked to HPV.

Genetically predicted circulating levels of cytokines and the risk of oral cavity and pharyngeal cancer: a bidirectional mendelian-randomization study.

Background: Epidemiological research has established associations between various inflammatory cytokines and the occurrence of oral cancer and oropharyngeal cancer (OCPC). We performed a Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to systematically investigate the causal relationship between inflammatory cytokines and OCPC. Methods: We performed a bidirectional two-sample MR analysis using OCPC from 12 studies (6,034 cases and 6,585 controls) and genome-wide association study (GWAS) results for 41 serum cytokines from 8,293 Finns, respectively. Inverse variance weighting was used as the primary MR method and four additional MR methods (MR Egger, Weighted median, Simple mode, Weighted mode) were used to examine genetic associations between inflammatory traits and OCPC, and Cochran's Q test, MR-Egger intercept, leave-one-out analysis, funnel plot, and multivariate MR (MVMR) analysis were used to assess the MR results. Results: The results suggested a potential association between high gene expression of Macrophage inflammatory protein-1α (MIP1α/CCL3) and an increased risk of OCPC (Odds Ratio (OR): 1.71, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.09-2.68, p = 0.019). Increasing the expression levels of the interleukin-7 (IL-7) gene by 1 standard deviation reduced the risk of OCPC (OR: 0.64, 95%CI: 0.48-0.86, p = 0.003). In addition, multivariate Mendelian randomization analysis also showed the same results (MIP1α/CCL3, OR: 1.002, 95% CI: 0.919-1.092, p = 0.044; IL-7, OR: 0.997, 95% CI: 0.994-0.999, p = 0.011). Conversely, there was a positive correlation between genetic susceptibility to OCPC and an increase in Interleukin-4 (IL-4) (OR: 1.04, 95%CI: 1.00-1.08, p = 0.027). Conclusion: Our study systematically assessed the association between inflammatory cytokines and the risk of OCPC. We identified two upstream regulatory factors (IL-7 and CCL3) and one downstream effector factor (IL-4) that were associated with OCPC, offering potential avenues for the development of novel treatments.

Estimation of Serum Leptin, Adiponectin, and Malondialdehyde Levels in Tobacco-Induced Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: ELISA-Based Study

Background Tobacco, a harmful, addictive chemical is responsible for occurrence of oral cancer by triggering inflammation and lipid peroxidation. The aim of the present study is to explore if there exists any difference in serum levels of inflammatory biomarkers such as leptin, adiponectin, and lipid peroxidation marker malondialdehyde (MDA) and also its correlation with oxidative stress in cases of tobacco-induced oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) as compared with tobacco users having no lesion. Materials and Methods Enrolled participants in this study included a total of 84 subjects (all males and 28 in each group) inclusive of healthy individuals, tobacco users with no lesion, and oral cancer cases. Serum leptin, adiponectin, and MDA levels were measured via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method in all subjects. Results A significant reduction in serum leptin and adiponectin levels in patients with OSCC was observed when compared with tobacco users with no lesions and healthy persons (control). For serum MDA, findings were comparable in control and tobacco consumers with no lesions groups but significantly higher in OSCC cases. The correlation between serum adiponectin, leptin, and MDA levels with body mass index (BMI) was highly significant. In addition, comparison of BMI with serum markers and histopathological grades of OSCC showed significant difference. Conclusion These present study observations suggest that reduced adiponectin and leptin and elevated serum MDA could serve as valuable markers for both preventive and clinical intervention, and may deserve further investigation for the early diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of OSCC.

Abstract 66: Oral Lesions Associated With Tobacco Smoking in Adolescents/Adults Dwellers in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract Purpose: To determine the oral lesions of smoking amongst adolescents and adults in Lagos State, Nigeria. Methods: A multistage sampling method was used to select 3 Local Government areas from the three districts in Lagos state. Using an interviewer-administered questionnaire and oral examination data was collected from 2,486 participants. Questions included; duration and amount of cigarettes smoked. While the examination was done with the use of ORALID to identify lesions, and ‘Bedfont Pico smokerlyzer’ to validate smoking status. The chi-square test was used to test differences in proportions. Results: Adolescents constituted 16.5% of the study population, and 58.4% of the total were males. The prevalence of current smokers was 9.2%, and of this 73.6% were daily smokers. There was a 2.6 times higher risk of halitosis (26.6% vs 10.4%), 7.7 times higher risk of smoker’s palate (15.3% vs 2.0%), and 8.6 times higher risk of melanosis (21.6% vs 2.5%) in current smokers compared to nonsmokers. A statistically significant association was noted between smoking status and the presence of oral lesions (P &amp;lt;0.0001). Abnormal oral finding was noted in 3.9% of the subjects, and this was significantly higher in current smokers (21.1%) than in nonsmokers (4.1%). Conclusion: The occurrence of oral lesions was significantly higher in current smokers compared to nonsmokers. Appropriate tobacco cessation programs and prompt management of potentially malignant lesions are recommended measures to reduce the occurrence of oral cancers in cigarette smokers. Citation Format: Oladunni Ogundana, Omolara Uti, Oyinkansola Sofola, Wasiu Adeyemo. Oral Lesions Associated With Tobacco Smoking in Adolescents/Adults Dwellers in Lagos, Nigeria [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 11th Annual Symposium on Global Cancer Research; Closing the Research-to-Implementation Gap; 2023 Apr 4-6. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 66.

Application and Performance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Oral Cancer Diagnosis and Prediction Using Histopathological Images: A Systematic Review.

Oral cancer (OC) is one of the most common forms of head and neck cancer and continues to have the lowest survival rates worldwide, even with advancements in research and therapy. The prognosis of OC has not significantly improved in recent years, presenting a persistent challenge in the biomedical field. In the field of oncology, artificial intelligence (AI) has seen rapid development, with notable successes being reported in recent times. This systematic review aimed to critically appraise the available evidence regarding the utilization of AI in the diagnosis, classification, and prediction of oral cancer (OC) using histopathological images. An electronic search of several databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and the Saudi Digital Library, was conducted for articles published between January 2000 and January 2023. Nineteen articles that met the inclusion criteria were then subjected to critical analysis utilizing QUADAS-2, and the certainty of the evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach. AI models have been widely applied in diagnosing oral cancer, differentiating normal and malignant regions, predicting the survival of OC patients, and grading OC. The AI models used in these studies displayed an accuracy in a range from 89.47% to 100%, sensitivity from 97.76% to 99.26%, and specificity ranging from 92% to 99.42%. The models' abilities to diagnose, classify, and predict the occurrence of OC outperform existing clinical approaches. This demonstrates the potential for AI to deliver a superior level of precision and accuracy, helping pathologists significantly improve their diagnostic outcomes and reduce the probability of errors. Considering these advantages, regulatory bodies and policymakers should expedite the process of approval and marketing of these products for application in clinical scenarios.

Oral Cancer; Myths and Challenges in Indian Population

The term oral cancer refers to cancer arising within the oral cavity and the oropharyngeal region. Oral cancer is one of the most common malignant neoplasia, more common among men than women. Oral cancer is more concern in the Indian population due to oral habits including pan, betel nut, tobacco and smoking. The myths regarding oral cancer occurrence, diagnosis and treatment among the Indian population still exist and it also becomes more challenging in educating and treating cancers among these. This article will present a detailed review of myths and challenges of oral cancer among the Indian population.

Association between tooth loss and risk of occurrence of oral cancer – A systematic review and meta-analysis

Periodontitis, the second most common reason for tooth loss in adults, is a chronic inflammatory condition that increases the prevalence of cancer by inhibiting apoptosis and promoting tumor cell growth. However, it is still debatable if tooth loss is an important risk factor in oral cancer (OC). The aim of this systematic review is to analyze the relationship between tooth loss and the probability of developing head-and-neck cancer and also to see if there is an association between tooth loss, periodontitis, and the risk of OC. Studies that depicted a link between tooth loss and OC (till 2017) were searched from online databases accompanied by a thorough manual search of relevant journals. Data were collected from eligible studies, and meta-analysis was carried out using the Meta-Analysis software. The effect of various inclusions was assessed by sensitivity and subgroup analysis. Publication bias was also evaluated. The meta-analysis consisted of 15 publications. When the number of teeth lost was counted, there was significant variability (I2 = 98.7%, P = 0.0001). When more than 15 teeth were missing in a subgroup analysis, there was a 2.4 times greater risk of OC (odds ratio: 2.496, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.067-3.015, P = 0.001) with no heterogeneity (I2 = 0.00%, 95% CI for I2 = 0.00-68.98). Subgroup analysis revealed that there was no evidence of publication bias. It was concluded that tooth loss can increase the OC risk by nearly 2 folds. However, large-scale population-based studies are needed to substantiate the findings.

Malignant transformation of oral potentially malignant disorders in Taiwanese indigenous peoples: A nationwide retrospective cohort study.

Malignant transformation of oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) is a potential cause of oral cancer. Currently, there is no research investigating the rate of malignant transformation of OPMDs into oral cancer in indigenous Taiwanese peoples. This study aimed to retrospectively investigate whether ethnicity (indigenous vs non-indigenous people) plays a role in increasing the malignant transformation rate of OPMDs into oral cancer. This study used data from the oral mucosal screening database and the Cancer Registry File, both of which originated from the National Health Insurance Research Database. We matched the baseline characteristics to control for confounding factors between indigenous peoples and non-indigenous peoples (17,768 indigenous subjects vs 71,072 non-indigenous subjects; 1:4 match) and compared the 2 cohorts. After matching for confounding factors such as age, sex, habits, and OPMD subtype, the malignant transformation rate was not statistically higher for indigenous people than for non-indigenous people. We also discovered that indigenous people with oral verrucous hyperplasia might have a higher chance of malignant transformation into oral cancer than the non-indigenous cohort. We conclude that ethnicity is not a risk factor for the malignant transformation of OPMDs into oral cancer; however, indigenous people with oral verrucous hyperplasia need to pay special attention and are suggested to undergo regular follow-ups for the occurrence of oral cancer.

Salivary Biomarkers in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Proteomic Overview.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most frequent cancers worldwide. Endoscopic methods may be useful in the evaluation of oral injuries even though the diagnostic gold standard is a biopsy. Targeted screenings could be considered the best way to prevent the occurrence of oral cancer. Aimed to elucidate the potential identification of specific biomarkers of OSCC, the use of saliva is convenient and noninvasive. Many studies reported more than a hundred putative saliva biomarkers for OSCC, and proteogenomic approaches were fundamental to disclosing this issue. Relevant literature published in the last few years was systematically searched on PubMed and we focused on articles about the use and study of salivary biomarkers in the diagnostics of head and neck cancer (n = 110). Thereafter, we performed a selection focusing on diagnosis with salivary proteomics in OSCC (n = 8). Saliva proteomics can be a source of biomarkers for OSCC. We reviewed literature of biomarker proteins in saliva that could also be evaluated as probable targets for non-invasive screening of oral neoplasm such as cytokines, matrix metalloproteinases, and acute-phase response proteins. The measurement of salivary biomarkers is a highly hopeful technique for the diagnosis of OSCC. Proteogenomic approaches could permit an accurate and early diagnosis of OSCC. This review seeks to generate an up-to-date view on translational OSCC issues by raising awareness of researchers, physicians, and surgeons. Renewed clinical studies, which will validate the sensitivity and specificity of salivary biomarkers, are necessary to translate these results into possible strategies for early diagnosis of OSCC, thus improving patient outcomes.

Setting up a Registry for Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders (OPMD)

Background: Oral cancer accounts for 3% of all malignancies. Progression to malignancy occurs with a gradual process. Oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD) are associated with the development of malignant transformation toward oral cancer. Objectives: This registry aimed at introducing an exact data gathering method for detecting, managing, and monitoring patients with OPMD to decrease the occurrence of oral cancer. Methods: In this registry, all patients with OPMD such as leukoplakia, erythroplakia, and oral lichen planus at Shahid Beheshti Dental School, Tehran, Iran were included. Patients' information including demographics, clinical, and histopathological features, the type of OPMD, treatment measures, and lesion changes in follow-up intervals were recorded in the registry software. In addition, a quality assurance team supervised and guaranteed the quality control of the entire registry process. Results: The following measures have been accomplished so far: development of an ethically-approved proposal, development of a comprehensive data form, development of web-based registration software, development of a manual of operation, signing of a collaborative contract with more than 8 dental schools throughout Iran, identification of 100 eligible patients, signing a contract with the Research Deputy of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, and codification of a verified and ethically approved quality assurance proposal. This registry is getting the advantage of being supervised and sponsored by the Disease Registry Center of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. Conclusions: The prospect of this registry is to provide patients with OPMD with a nationwide diagnostic service and continuous monitoring protocol through a collaborative network of all dental schools in Iran.

Oral Cancer Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices among Newly Graduated Dentists in Kuwait.

Background:Oral cancer awareness among newly graduated dentists could have a substantial impact in the prevention and early detection of oral cancer. Objective: This survey was undertaken to assess the knowledge, opinion, attitudes, and practices on oral cancer among newly graduated dentists in Kuwait. Methods:In this cross-sectional study, self-reported questionnaire was distributed to the newly graduated dentists. Of the 310 dentists who participated, 171 (55.2%) were males and 139 (44.8%) were females. The questionnaire included 23- questions on oral cancer knowledge, opinion, attitudes, and practices. Results:The mean age of the dentists was 25.8 ± 2.4 years and their mean years of experience 1.5 ± 1.7 years. Overall, a great majority of dentists (95.8%) recognized tobacco use and alcohol consumption as very important risk factors for oral cancer occurrence. Almost all of participants were aware of the most common form of oral cancer (94.2%). Most of the dentists correctly identified the most common site of oral cancer (93.5%). Majority of the participants recognized the most commonly associated lesions with oral cancer (91.6%). While 37.4% of the dentists agreed that they were adequately trained in oral cancer screening, most (89.7%) believed that patients should have mandatory oral cancer screening at the clinics. Also, majority (95.8%) expressed their willingness to attend continuing education and training courses in cancer screening and prevention. Most of the dentists (81.9%) referred a patient with a suspicious lesion to a specialist. Conclusions:Majority of the dentists were aware and knowledgeable about various aspects of oral cancer. There is a need to emphasize and reinforce the training programs in oral cancer education mainly in prevention and early detection. Continuing education programs and workshops are highly recommended to raise awareness of the dentists on risk factors and diagnosis of oral cancer.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Dental Practitioners towards Screening for Oral Pre-Cancer and Cancer

One of the global health issues is Oral cancer, which has an increased death rate. Awareness of oral cancer screening is important for oral health care professionals for early detection and improving the patients' survival rate. Attitude towards oral cancer awareness and knowledge of oral cancer screening are the key factors that impact oral cancer awareness success.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: To assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of dental practitioners and dental students towards screening for oral pre-cancer and cancer. This study included dental practitioners working in various academic institutions and private practitioners in Chennai. Participants were asked to fill in age, gender, designation, and experience. A structured questionnaire consisting of 10 questions, each having four options, was administered to the participants. The data collected was 100 responses analyzed by statistical package for the social science (spss inc., version 16 for, Chicago, IL, USA). Simple descriptive statistics were used to describe the distribution of data collected. T-test and ANOVA were employed to assess the statistically significant difference in the KAP scores between different groups.&#x0D; Results: The response rate for the present study was 100%. 37% of general dental practitioners reported that they routinely do a thorough oral examination for all the patients,52% agree that they are adequately trained to examine patients for oral pre-cancer and cancer screening,8% of them reported that they never do toluidine blue staining for patients with oral lesion. Majority(57) of them agree that they would recommend biopsy for suspected cases of oral cancer. Only 9% of the participants were aware of the time required for intraoral screening examination. 31% of them were aware of the risk of malignant transformation in a white lesion. 73% of the participants were aware of the occurrence of oral cancer in non - tobacco users was rare. 53% of agree that thorough intraoral examination for oral cancer will reduce oral cancer mortality and morbidity.

1375Age-standardization to world population and under-estimation of oral cancer burden

Abstract Background Age-standardization is common for adjustment of unequal population in different ages as it can influence cancer incidence. However, for planning healthcare services (including screening), one needs absolute magnitude since everyone needs intervention. This study assessed the effect of age-standardization on understanding the global differentials in magnitude of oral cancer. Methods Data on cancer incidence rates of oral cancers for 2008-2012, was obtained from the website of international agency for research on cancer for all 334 population-based cancer registries. Scatter plots were prepared between age-standardized and crude incidence rates to assess the ratio between them according to proportion of old people for all countries. Areas with high occurrence of oral cancer were identified. Results The ratio between age-standardized and crude incidence rate was &amp;gt;1 in countries with high proportion of older population (high-development-index countries), indicating an artificial widening of gap between incidence rates between countries due to age-standardization. Six areas had higher crude incidence rate among men than India. Based on the published estimates, the per-unit-population burden in Europe was 6.3% higher than India, while in USA it was merely 12.5% lower than India. Conclusions The perception of low burden of oral cancer in high-economy countries is artificial, brought about by common practice of age-standardization. Key messages Organization of oral cancer screening activities by countries with resources and expertise will provide much needed knowledge on its natural history and efficacy of control strategies.