IADR Abstract Archives
Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Screening Within the Community of Hong Kong
Objectives: Oral Squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is usually preceded by a benign oral lesion that can raise the suspicion of a dentist, prior to biopsy and histopathological assessment. This prospective pilot study aimed to identify people in Hong Kong who may be at risk of developing pre-malignant oral lesions.
Methods: Advertisement for the study was placed on social media. Intraoral screening was performed by dentists in a community setting with the aid of a headlight and spatulas. Participants were categorized into “negative”, “low-risk positive”, and “high-risk positive” based on a preset criteria, such as suspicious exophytic lesions, erythroplakia, or proliferative verrucous leukoplakia for positive high-risk, or benign masses, leukoplakia, or submucous fibrosis for positive-low risk, or aphthous ulcers or thermal or chemical burns for negative lesions. A carbon monoxide ppm reading via a Smokerlyzer™ was recorded and basic demographic data was collected from each participant.
Results: 774 participants (426 females) were screened, age mean(SD)[range] 55.35 (11.39) [21-89], female mean age, 56.21 and male mean age 54.77 years. Majority participants (99.2%) self-identified as ethnically Chinese. 127 were smokers, 703 negative for lesions, 46 (22 females) were positive, and 25 unclassified. Participants who screened positive were significantly older than those who screened negative (p<0.0001), were significantly more likely to smoke (p<0.00001), but not more likely to drink alcohol (p<0.387). The mean(SD) expired CO of those smoked was 5.64 (6.764) for males, 4.32 (5.036) for females, and significantly higher than for non-smokers, mean(SD) 1.906 (1.077).
Conclusions: A higher age and behavior such as smoking increased the risk of developing pre-malignant oral lesions. Males were over-represented in the high-risk group and were more likely to partake in risk increasing behavior.
Methods: Advertisement for the study was placed on social media. Intraoral screening was performed by dentists in a community setting with the aid of a headlight and spatulas. Participants were categorized into “negative”, “low-risk positive”, and “high-risk positive” based on a preset criteria, such as suspicious exophytic lesions, erythroplakia, or proliferative verrucous leukoplakia for positive high-risk, or benign masses, leukoplakia, or submucous fibrosis for positive-low risk, or aphthous ulcers or thermal or chemical burns for negative lesions. A carbon monoxide ppm reading via a Smokerlyzer™ was recorded and basic demographic data was collected from each participant.
Results: 774 participants (426 females) were screened, age mean(SD)[range] 55.35 (11.39) [21-89], female mean age, 56.21 and male mean age 54.77 years. Majority participants (99.2%) self-identified as ethnically Chinese. 127 were smokers, 703 negative for lesions, 46 (22 females) were positive, and 25 unclassified. Participants who screened positive were significantly older than those who screened negative (p<0.0001), were significantly more likely to smoke (p<0.00001), but not more likely to drink alcohol (p<0.387). The mean(SD) expired CO of those smoked was 5.64 (6.764) for males, 4.32 (5.036) for females, and significantly higher than for non-smokers, mean(SD) 1.906 (1.077).
Conclusions: A higher age and behavior such as smoking increased the risk of developing pre-malignant oral lesions. Males were over-represented in the high-risk group and were more likely to partake in risk increasing behavior.