RESUMO
Introduction: Oral cancer (OC) is associated with various risk factors and high mortality rates, and contributes significantly to the worldwide cancer burden. Objectives: To assess and evaluate patients’ current knowledge, awareness, and behavior regarding OC risk in a cancer trust hospital. Materials and Methods: The study involved 600 patients who attended cancer trust hospital, East Godavari district, from September 2021 to October 2021. A self- administered questionnaire of 20-questions was given to each patient that included socio-demographic and disease-specific information and their answers evaluated. Results: The data was examined using descriptive statistics, and the connection between the variables, education, family income, and other factors was assessed using a chi-square test (with a 5% significance threshold). The results were analysed with reference to their implications for interventions aimed at patient’s awareness for oral cancer symptoms. Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, people lacked information and awareness about identified risk factors for oral cancer. Knowledge of maintaining a healthy lifestyle that eliminates the consumption of established oral cancer risk factors was low. At the community and individual levels, health education linked to primary prevention of oral cancer must be improved.