ABSTRACT
There has been no reduction in the incidence of OOPCa, nor has the 5-year survival rate improved over the past 30 years. Most of these cancers are diagnosed in the later stages after they have grown to significant size, have become fixed to surrounding structures, hemorrhagic or painful or have caused noticeable impairment of speech or deglutition. To reduce the incidence of OOPCa and improve outcomes, the public must become more aware of the risk factors and seek regular oral cancer examination. More importantly, health professionals must incorporate a thorough oral soft tissue examination into their routine evaluation of all patients. Although an array of promising new technologies is becoming part of our diagnostic armamentarium, the most important factor is, as it has always been, an educated, astute and conscientious clinician.
Subject(s)
Mouth Neoplasms/prevention & control , Oropharyngeal Neoplasms/prevention & control , Cause of Death , Chemoprevention , Dentist-Patient Relations , Education, Dental , Global Health , Health Promotion , Humans , Mass Screening , Mouth Neoplasms/diagnosis , Neoplasm Staging , Oropharyngeal Neoplasms/diagnosis , Patient Education as Topic , Prognosis , Risk Factors , Survival RateABSTRACT
Oral brush biopsy results were compared with scalpel biopsy and histology to determine the positive predictive value of an abnormal brush biopsy finding. Of 243 patients with abnormal brush biopsies, 93 proved positive for dysplasia (79) or carcinoma (14) and 150 were negative for either dysplasia or carcinoma. Therefore, the positive predictive value of an abnormal brush biopsy was 38% (93/243). By using the oral brush biopsy, dentists can inform their patients that abnormal findings have a strong positive predictive value for dysplasia or carcinoma and therefore require follow-up confirmation by scalpel biopsy.
