Challenges in the Early Diagnosis of Oral Cancer, Evidence Gaps and Strategies for Improvement: A Scoping Review of Systematic Reviews

Abstract

Oral cancer is a growing problem, accounting for 377,713 worldwide new cases per year, and 177,757 deaths annually and representing a 5-year mortality rate close to 50%, which is a considerable mortality that has not decreased substantially in the last 40 years. The main cause of this high mortality is related to the diagnosis of a high percentage of oral cancers in advanced stages (stages III and IV) in which treatment is complex, mutilating or disabling, and ineffective. The essential cause of a cancer diagnosis at a late stage is the delay in diagnosis, therefore, the achievement of the objective of improving the prognosis of oral cancer involves reducing the delay in its diagnosis. The reasons for the delay in the diagnosis of oral cancer are complex and involve several actors and circumstances—patients, health care providers, and health services. In this paper, we present the results of a scoping review of systematic reviews on the diagnostic delay in oral cancer with the aim to better understand, based on the evidence, and discuss in depth, the reasons for this fact, and to identify evidence gaps and formulate strategies for improvement.

Toxicity with proton therapy for oral and/or oropharyngeal cancers: A scoping review

“…3 The 5-year survival rates are 85% for localised, 68% for regional, and 40% for distant oral and/or oropharyngeal cancers 4 ; which culminates in a poor overall 5-year survival rate of 50%. Up to 30% of patients will develop an additional primary oral squamous cell carcinoma, 5 with lifelong surveillance required. Loco-regional control and advancement of tumours to regional lymph nodes within the neck are relevant prognostic features that also guide treatment modalities.…”

Screening of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Through Color Intensity-Based Textural Features

“…OSCC involves the epithelium of the oral cavity [ 10 ]. The early cancer detection presents a significant challenge for pathologists and general practitioners, impacting diagnosis, treatment planning, and subsequent care across all stages of the disease [ 11 ]. Numerous methods are used for diagnosis and screening, cytology is one of them.…”

“…The research on the application of AI has been profound in the cytology of cervical cancer [ 12 ]. However, there are very few studies regarding AI applications in OSCC [ 11 ]. Most analytical studies to date have been carried out using clinical, radiographic, and histopathological images.…”

PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway Mediated Autophagy in Oral Carcinoma - A Comprehensive Review

“…Despite tremendous discoveries of various biomarkers for early detection of OSCC, the five-year survivability decreased. The increased death rate relates to diagnosis of the disease at the later stages of the disease 8 . PI3K/AKT pathway plays an important role in gene expression, protein synthesis, cell proliferation and survival.…”