Background: Oral cancer is among the top three types of
cancers in
India . Severe
alcoholism , use of tobacco in the form of
cigarettes ,
smokeless tobacco , and
betel nut chewing are the most common
risk factors for
oral cancer . Often individuals with pre
cancer even
notice the alterations, such as reduced
mouth opening in
oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF), but they are not aware about the causes and consequences of these changes.
Awareness about causes and features of oral cancers can be very helpful in prevention, control and
early diagnosis of
oral cancer .
Methods: A
cross-sectional study was carried out among
students from Mumbai
University ,
India during May-June 2017. Five hundred
students were approached to participate in the study of which 400 agreed to participate. Pretested
questionnaire was distributed and collected data was analyzed using IBM SPSS version 23.
Results: There were 199 (49%)
males and 201 (50%)
females in the study and response rate was (80%).
Respondents had good
knowledge about
oral cancer . Seventy four percent (268/362)
respondents correctly identified
smoking , and
tobacco chewing as possible causes of
oral cancer . Almost all (96%; 348/362)
respondents correctly responded that
oral cancer does not spread from
person to
person through
touch or speaking. Seventy two percent (260/362)
respondents believed that
oral cancer is curable. Significantly higher number of
male (98%) compared to
female participants answered correctly to questions regarding spread of
disease and occurrence of
oral cancer in
AIDS patients .
Conclusions: Participants showed good
knowledge about
oral cancer .
Female participants showed lesser
knowledge compared to
male counterparts. Details about
oral cancer should be incorporated in the undergraduate
curriculum and periodic
awareness programs should be organized for
students .