%0 Journal Article
%T Exploring the Level of Oral Cancer Awareness Among Healthcare Workers in Bergama District, Izmir
%A Gaye Keser
%A Dilara Altun
%A Filiz Namdar Pekiner
%J Archive of International Journal of Cancer and Allied Science
%@ 3108-4834
%D 2021
%V 1
%N 1
%R 10.51847/b9MoOb7uwm
%P 4-15
%X This study aimed to assess the level of oral cancer awareness among medical professionals in Turkey. This study included 90 medical doctors who were provided with a 25-item questionnaire. These questions assessed their knowledge of oral cancer risk factors, screening methods, attitudes toward oral cancer, management of oral care, and general cancer awareness of the disease. All respondents identified cigarette use and viral infections as risk factors, with 95.6% also confirming alcohol consumption as a risk factor. Regarding the lesions with the highest cancer risk, 15.6% of the participants highlighted erythroplakia and Morbus Bowen, while 47.8% pointed to leukoplakia and erythroplakia. Statistically significant differences were observed between age groups in their recognition of alcohol consumption as a risk factor (P = 0.002), increasing age as a risk factor (P = 0.007), the distribution of common oral cancer regions (P = 0.001), the identification of the two most cancer-prone lesions (P = 0.021), and the importance of alcohol use in patient medical history (P = 0.008). Early detection and diagnosis of oral cancer are essential for effective treatment. While this study suggests that medical doctors in the region are generally aware of oral cancer, it also highlights the need for improvements in oral cancer education in medical school curricula, as well as the importance of continued postgraduate education on the subject.
%U https://smerpub.com/article/exploring-the-level-of-oral-cancer-awareness-among-healthcare-workers-in-bergama-district-izmir-thtzyiazmfvasks