ASSESSMENT OF KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS LEVELS REGARDING ORAL CANCER CAUSES AND COMPLICATIONS AMONG THE SAUDI ARABIAN POPULATION, A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Background: Oral cancer (OC). it’s a neoplasm that primarily begins at the lips and stops at the anterior structures of the throat. The seventh most prevalent cancer worldwide and the ninth deadliest cancer site in terms of mortality were oral cavity tumors. Oral cancer is a silent, invasive disease, which usually presents as a persistent, painless ulcer that the patient tends to ignore. Oral squamous cell carcinoma is responsible for more than 90% of all oral cavity cancers, Oral cancer is the fifth most common of cancer cases, The tongue is the second most common site of oral cancer, after the lip. To assess knowledge and awareness level about oral cancer, its causes and complications among general population in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

 Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted by utilizing a digitally distributed questionnaire which is based on a well-structured survey that was developed by other authors and was used for the Saudi Arabian population. The study is targeting Saudi Arabian adults above the age of 18 years old. It was conducted in 2024. The selection of Participants was from those who received the questionnaire. determine the minimum number of responders needed to create a representative sample for the entire population, estimations of sample size were made.

Results: The study assessed the knowledge and awareness of oral cancer causes and complications among a sample of 984 participants in Saudi Arabia, revealing both positive and concerning trends. Approximately 53.5% indicated awareness of oral cancer, yet misconceptions persisted, particularly with 30.4% uncertain about the relationship between alcohol consumption and the disease. A significant 81.3% acknowledged smoking and chewing habits as risk factors, but only 47.4% believed that oral cancer is treatable, highlighting a critical need for enhanced public health education. While 57.6% recognized the potential lethality of untreated oral cancer, over half lacked information on preventive measures. Notably, 77.3% expressed a desire for more educational resources. The study found that only 10.8% of participants had a high level of knowledge, with 72.5% categorized as having low knowledge. Factors such as age, region, educational level, marital status, and occupation significantly influenced knowledge levels, while gender and habits showed no significant relation.

Conclusion: the study revealed a significant gap in knowledge and awareness regarding oral cancer among the general population of Saudi Arabia, despite a moderate recognition of the disease’s existence. While a majority of participants identified smoking and chewing habits as risk factors, misconceptions regarding the relationship between alcohol consumption and oral cancer persisted. Alarmingly, only a small percentage demonstrated a high level of knowledge or awareness of preventative measures and the treatability of the disease.