Epidemiology of oral cancers and the importance of their early detection. Oral screening 2018

Abstract

In Hungary, the incidence of oral cancer and the mortality of oral cancer patients are so high, that in the past decades it has attracted international attention. The mortality rates are the highest in Europe. As risk factors, smoking and alcohol consumption have a multiplicative role; in addition, a number of dental factors also play a role. Premalignant conditions and lesions are well known. They should be targeted for early detection and early treatment. The screening tool is simple: inspection and palpation. The physician-patient encounters provide opportunity for screening. This paper looks for the answer to the long been debated question: who is responsible for oral screening?