Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Oral Cancer Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices among Dentists in Khartoum State, Sudan

  • Published:
Journal of Cancer Education Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The dental professions hold an important responsibility in the control of oral cancer and the early diagnosis highly depends on their knowledge. The present study was developed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of dentists in Khartoum State regarding oral cancer prevention and early detection. An administered questionnaire was structured and sent to all licensed 130 dentists working in public dental clinics in Khartoum State. Responses to the questionnaire were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics. Although the majority of the dentists were knowledgeable about the major risk factors of oral cancer, more than half of the dentists reported they do not carry out any special examination to detect oral cancer in age 40 and above in asymptomatic patients. Dentists indicated their lack of training as the main barrier for conducting a comprehensive oral cancer examination. Interestingly, the vast majority of the dentists express their interest to have further oral cancer educational and training sessions. The findings of the present study suggested strongly that educational and training interventions are necessary to enhance preventive measures which may lead to reduce mortality and morbidity from oral cancer.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ferlay J, Soerjomataram I, Dikshit R, Eser S, Mathers C, Rebelo M, Parkin DM, Forman D, Bray F (2015) Cancer incidence and mortality worldwide: sources, methods and major patterns in GLOBOCAN 2012. Int.J Cancer 136(5):E359–E386. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijc.29210

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Torre LA, Bray F, Siegel RL, Ferlay J, Lortet-Tieulent J, Jemal A (2015) Global cancer statistics, 2012. CA Cancer J Clin 65(2):87–108. https://doi.org/10.3322/caac.21262

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Natarajan E, Eisenberg E (2011) Contemporary concepts in the diagnosis of oral cancer and precancer. Dent Clin N Am 55(1):63–88. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cden.2010.08.006

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Znaor A, Brennan P, Gajalakshmi V, Mathew A, Shanta V, Varghese C, Boffetta P (2003) Independent and combined effects of tobacco smoking, chewing and alcohol drinking on the risk of oral, pharyngeal and oesophageal cancers in Indian men. Int J Cancer 105(5):681–686. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijc.11114

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Ang KK, Harris J, Wheeler R, Weber R, Rosenthal DI, Nguyen-Tân PF (2010) Human papillomavirus and survival of patients with oropharyngeal cancer. N Engl J Med 363(1):24–35. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa0912217

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  6. Walsh T, Liu JL, Brocklehurst P, Glenny AM, Lingen M, Kerr AR, et al. 2013.Clinical assessment to screen for the detection of oral cavity cancer and potentially malignant disorders in apparently healthy adults. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews.; 11:Cd010173. Epub 2013/11/22

  7. Mortazavi H, Baharvand M, Mehdipour M (2014) Oral potentially malignant disorders: an overview of more than 20 entities. J Dental Res, Dental Clinics, Dental Prospects 8(1):6–14

    Google Scholar 

  8. Saeed IE, Weng HY, Mohamed KH, Mohammed SI (2014) Cancer incidence in Khartoum, Sudan: first results from the cancer registry, 2009–2010. Cancer Med 3(4):1075–1084. https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.254

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  9. International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). 2007. Cancer incidence in five continents. Vol IX. IARC Scientific Publications, No. 160, Lyon, IARC.

  10. International Agency for research on cancer: GLOBOCAN 2008. Available from:http://globocan.iarc.fr/factsheets/populations/factsheet.asp?uno=900#MEN

  11. Kujan O, Farah CS, Johnson NW (2017) Oral and oropharyngeal cancer in the Middle East and North Africa: incidence, mortality, trends, and gaps in public databases as presented to the Global Oral Cancer Forum. Trans Res Oral Oncol 2:1–9

    Google Scholar 

  12. Hassanin AA, Idris AM (2017) Attribution of oral cancer in the Sudan to Toombak dipping. Translational Research in Oral Oncol 2:1–5. https://doi.org/10.1177/2057178X16685729

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Ahmed HG (2013) Aetiology of oral cancer in the Sudan. J Oral Maxillofac Res. 4(2):e3. https://doi.org/10.5037/jomr.2013.420.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  14. Idris AM, Ibrahim YE, Warnakulasuriya KAAS et al (1998) Toombak use and cigarette smoking in the Sudan: estimates of prevalence in the Nile state. Prev Med 7:597–603

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Osman TA, Satti AA, Bøe OE, Yang YH, Ibrahim SO, Suleiman AM (2010) Pattern of malignant tumours registered at a referral oral and maxillofacial hospital in Sudan during 2006-2007. J Cancer Res Ther 6(4):473–477

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Speight P, Warnakulasuriya S, Ogden G (2010) Early detection and prevention of oral cancer: a management strategy for dental practice. London, British Dental Association

    Google Scholar 

  17. Andisheh Tadbir A, Ebrahimi H, Pourshahidi S, Zeraatkar M (2013) Evaluation of levels of knowledge about etiology and symptoms of oral cancer in southern Iran. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 14:2217–2220

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Kujan O, Sloan P (2013) Dilemmas of oral cancer screening: an update. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 14(5):3369–3367. https://doi.org/10.7314/APJCP.2013.14.5.3369

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Ahmed HG (2013) Aetiology of oral cancer in the Sudan. J Oral Maxillofac Res 4(2):e3. https://doi.org/10.5037/jomr.2013.4203

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  20. Gómez I, Warnakulasuriya S, Varela-Centelles PI, López-Jornet P, Suárez- Cunqueiro M, Diz-Dios P et al (2010) Is early diagnosis of oral cancer a feasible objective? Who is to blame for diagnostic delay? Oral Dis 16:333–342

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Petersen PE. 2008. Oral cancer prevention and control—the approach of the World Health Organization. Oral Oncol.05.023

  22. Gajendra S, Cruz GD, Kumar JV (2006) Oral cancer prevention and early detection: knowledge, practices and opinions of oral health care providers in New York state. J Cancer Educ 21(3):157–162. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15430154jce2103_14

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  23. Hertrampf K, Wiltfang J, Koller M, Klosa K, Wenz HJ (2010) Dentists’ perspectives on oral cancer: a survey in Northern Germany and a comparison with international data. Eur J Cancer Prev 19(2):144–152. https://doi.org/10.1097/CEJ.0b013e3283362a69

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Joseph BK, Sundaram DB, Sharma P (2011) Oral cancer awareness among dentists in Kuwait. Med Princ Pract 21(2):164–170. https://doi.org/10.1159/000333543

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Hassona Y, Sawair F, Baqain Z, Maayta W, Shahin A, Scully C (2015) Oral cancer early detection—a pressing need for continuing education in Jordan. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 16(17):17,7727–17,7730

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Alaizari NA, Al-Maweri SA (2014) Oral cancer: knowledge, practices and opinions of dentists in yemen. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 15(14):5627–5631. https://doi.org/10.7314/APJCP.2014.15.14.5627

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Razavi SM, Zolfaghari B, Foroohandeh M, Doost ME, Tahani B (2013) Dentists’ knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding oral cancer in Iran. J Cancer Educ 28(2):335–341. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-013-0460-6

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. López-Jornet P, Camacho-Alonso F, Molina-Miñano F (2010) Knowledge and attitudes about oral cancer among dentists in Spain. J Eval Clin Pract 16(1):129–133. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2753.2009.01132.x

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Decuseara G, MacCarthy D, Menezes G (2011) Oral cancer: knowledge, practices and opinions of dentists in Ireland. J Ir Dent Assoc 57(4):209–214

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Silverman S Jr, Rankin KV (2010) Oral and pharyngeal cancer control through continuous education. J Cancer Educ 25:277–278

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of the Western Cape, Tygerberg, South Africa

    Nada H. M. Ahmed

  2. Department of Community Oral Health, University of the Western Cape, Tygerberg, South Africa

    Sudeshni Naidoo

Authors
  1. Nada H. M. Ahmed
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sudeshni Naidoo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nada H. M. Ahmed.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ahmed, N.H.M., Naidoo, S. Oral Cancer Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices among Dentists in Khartoum State, Sudan. J Canc Educ 34, 291–296 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-017-1300-x

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-017-1300-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation