Table 2.
OSCC-related items explored in the questionnaire-based surveys.
| Knowledge |
| 1. Risk factors |
| Tobacco |
| Alcohol |
| Prior OSCC |
| Advanced age |
| HPV infection |
| Sun exposure |
| Diet |
| Betel quid chewing |
| Fungal infection |
| Immunosuppression |
| Radiotherapy |
| 2. Non-risk factors |
| Family history |
| Familiar clustering |
| Ill-fitting prothesis |
| Hot food and drink |
| Poor oral hygiene |
| Use of spicy food |
| Obesity |
| 3. OPMDs |
| Leukoplakia |
| Erythroplakia |
| Lichenoid lesions |
| Chronic hyperplastic candidiasis |
| Actinic cheilitis |
| Oral sub-mucous fibrosis |
| 4. Common sites of development |
| Lip |
| Tongue |
| Floor of the mouth |
| Buccal mucosa |
| Palate |
| Gum |
| 5. Clinical presentation |
| OSCC is the most common form of oral cancer |
| OSCC is asymptomatic at early stage |
| OSCC is diagnosticated more frequently at advanced stage |
| Lymph node characteristic of OSCC metastasis |
| Early OSCC lesions appear as small, painless red area |
| Ventral lateral border of the tongue most likely to develop OSCC |
| Submandibular lymph nodes are the first places of metastasis of OSCC |
| Lung is the most common site of distant metastasis of OSCC |
| Persistent ulcer, lump, non-healing socket, and/or bleeding gums could be signs of OSCC |
| Dysphagia |
| Limited tongue mobility |
| Attitude |
| Adequate/inadequate OSCC education received at medical/dental school |
| Quality of OSCC education |
| Up-to-date knowledge |
| Need to perform annual OSCC screening examinations for patients > 40 years old |
| Early detection improves 5-year survival rate |
| Training level in providing education on smoking cessation |
| Training level in OSCCC examination/screening |
| Believe/do not believe dentist/physician/dental hygienist is qualified to perform OSCC examination |
| Comfortable/uncomfortable during neck lymph nodes palpation |
| Comfortable/uncomfortable to refer suspicious oral lesions to specialists |
| Confident/non-confident in diagnosis of OSCC from clinical appearance |
| Patients’ knowledge level about risk factors |
| Should/should not inform patients about findings |
| Comfortable/uncomfortable to perform biopsy |
| Advise/do not advise patients with suspicious oral lesions |
| Need of continuous education in the future |
| Adequate/inadequate preparation to explain the risks of tobacco/alcohol use |
| Practice |
| Extra/intraoral examination |
| Lymph nodes palpation |
| Biopsy |
| Use of blue toluidine/fluorescent light |
| Asking about current/previous use of tobacco |
| Asking about the type and amounts of tobacco products used |
| Asking about current/previous use of alcohol |
| Asking about the type and amounts of alcohol use |
| Asking about personal/family history of cancer |
| Asking about type of diet |
| Asking about sun exposure |
| Refer to a specialist (as oral and maxillofacial surgeons, oral medicine specialists, ENT, physicians, specialized hospital) |
Abbreviations: OSCC: Oral squamous cell carcinoma; ENT: Otolaryngologist.