Abstract

Objectives: Oral cancer is ranked as the ninth most common tumor around the world and the third most common tumor in Saudi Arabia. The aim of this study was to determine levels of awareness and knowledge about oral cancer among the general population in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 800 adult participants were recruited to assess levels of knowledge about oral cancer using a self-administered questionnaire. T-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and linear regression were used for data analysis.

Results: The results showed that 34.3% of respondents were unaware of the existence of oral cancer, and 65.8% had previously heard about oral cancer. Correct answers for oral cancer risk factors had a mean of 5.47 and SD = 2.84 for 12 questions. Nonsmoking, Saudi female participants with university educations and family incomes higher than SAR 15,000, as well as participants who had previously learned about oral cancer, had significantly (p < 0.05) higher total correct answers. There were 80.50% of participants who identified smoking as a risk factor, but only 25% identified sun exposure as a risk factor. Red and white patches were the least identified signs of oral cancer, with only 22.50% and 24.38% correct responses, respectively.

Conclusion: Public knowledge about oral cancer in Saudi Arabia seems to be insufficient, and more health promotion campaigns should be conducted to boost community awareness.

Keywords: Oral Cancer; Saudi Arabia; Dentistry; Oral Health; Jeddah; Knowledge; Awareness

References

1. Ferlay Jacques., et al. “Cancer Incidence and Mortality Worldwide: Sources, Methods and Major Patterns in Globocan 2012”. International Journal of Cancer5 (2015): 359-386.
2. Horton John. "Breast Cancer in 2020: What Can We Expect?" Cancer Detection and Prevention2 (2006): 109-110.
3. Forman David., et al. “Cancer Incidence in Five Continents, Volume X (electronic version)”. Lyon: IARC (2013).
4. Al-Balawi Saeed A and Alagumba L Nwoku. "Management of Oral Cancer in a Tertiary Care Hospital”. Saudi Medical Journal2 (2002): 156-159.
5. Daigo Kayo., et al. “Characterization of Kif11 as a Novel Prognostic Biomarker and Therapeutic Target for Oral Cancer”. International Journal of Oncology1 (2018): 155-165.
6. Parkin D Max., et al. “Global Cancer Statistics, 2002”. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians2 (2005): 74-108.
7. Carter Lachlan M and Graham R Ogden. "Oral Cancer Awareness of Undergraduate Medical and Dental Students”. BMC Medical Education1 (2007): 44.
8. West R., et al. “Awareness of Mouth Cancer in Great Britain”. British Dental Journal 200 (2006): 167.
9. Petersen Poul Erik. "Oral Cancer Prevention and Control–the Approach of the World Health Organization”. Oral Oncology4-5 (2009): 454-460.
10. Warnakulasuriya Saman. "Global Epidemiology of Oral and Oropharyngeal Cancer”. Oral Oncology4-5 (2009): 309-316.
11. Lohavanichbutr Pawadee., et al. “Genomewide Gene Expression Profiles of Hpv-Positive and Hpv-Negative Oropharyngeal Cancer: Potential Implications for Treatment Choices”. Archives of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery 2 (2009): 180-188.
12. Lin Wen-Jiun., et al. “Smoking, Alcohol, and Betel Quid and Oral Cancer: A Prospective Cohort Study”. Journal of Oncology (2011).
13. Al-Attas Safia Ali., et al. “Prevalence of Potentially Malignant Oral Mucosal Lesions among Tobacco Users in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia”. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2 (2014): 757-762.
14. El-Husseiny G., et al. “Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oral Tongue: An Analysis of Prognostic Factors”. British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 3 (2000): 193-199.
15. Zhang X., et al. “Shammah—Induced Oral Leukoplakia-Like Lesions”. Oral Oncology 7 (2001): 609-612.
16. Quadri Mir Faeq Ali., et al. “Effectiveness of an Intervention Program on Knowledge of Oral Cancer among the Youth of Jazan, Saudi Arabia”. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention5 (2014): 1913-1918.
17. Wolff Klaus-Dietrich., et al. “The Diagnosis and Treatment of Oral Cavity Cancer”. Deutsches Ärzteblatt International48 (2012): 829.
18. Tomar Scott L and Henrietta L Logan. "Florida Adults' Oral Cancer Knowledge and Examination Experiences”. Journal of Public Health Dentistry4 (2005): 221-230.
19. Agrawal Mamta., et al. “Oral Cancer Awareness of the General Public in Gorakhpur City, India”. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 10 (2012): 5195-5199.
20. Al-Maweri Sadeq Ali., et al. “Public Awareness and Knowledge of Oral Cancer in Yemen”. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 15 (2014): 10861-10865.
21. Park JH., et al. “Knowledge and Perceptions Regarding Oral and Pharyngeal Carcinoma among Adult Dental Patients”. Australian Dental Journal 3 (2011): 284-289.
22. Ghani Wan Maria Nabillah., et al. “Oral Cancer Awareness and Its Determinants among a Selected Malaysian Population”. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention3 (2013): 1957-1963.
23. Al-Dubai Sami Abdo Radman., et al. “Awareness and Knowledge of Oral Cancer among University Students in Malaysia”. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention1 (2012): 165-168.
24. Ariyawardana A and N Vithanaarachchi. "Awareness of Oral Cancer and Precancer among Patients Attending a Hospital in Sri Lanka”. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention1 (2005): 58-61.
25. Rogers Simon N., et al. “Reasons for Delayed Presentation in Oral and Oropharyngeal Cancer: The Patients Perspective”. British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery5 (2011): 349-353.
26. Al-Maweri Sadeq Ali., et al. “Oral Cancer Awareness of the General Public in Saudi Arabia”. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention8 (2015): 3377-3381.
27. Al-Maweri Sadeq Ali., et al. “Oral Cancer: Awareness and Knowledge among Dental Patients in Riyadh”. Journal of Cancer Education2 (2017): 308-313.
28. Alhazzazi Turki Y. "Evaluation of Head and Neck Cancer Awareness and Screening Status in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia”. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention3 (2016): 1135-1139.
29. Alhazzazi Turki Y and Faisal T Alghamdi. "Head and Neck Cancer in Saudi Arabia: A Systematic Review”. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention8 (2016): 4043-4048.
30. Elango J Kalavathy., et al. “Factors Affecting Oral Cancer Awareness in a High-Risk Population in India”. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention4 (2009): 627-630.
31. Tadbir Azadeh Andisheh., et al. “Evaluation of Levels of Knowledge About Etiology and Symptoms of Oral Cancer in Southern Iran”. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention4 (2013): 2217-2220.