Promoting oral cancer screening by general practitioners in Australia: Strengthening primary healthcare
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: BackgroundOral cancer remains a significant public health issue.General practitioners (GPs) can play an important role in raising awareness of oral cancer. ObjectiveThis paper explores why providing advice relating to modifiable risk behaviours associated with oral cancer and undertaking routine oral cancer screening are important for GPs in clinical practice. DiscussionTo support GPs, an e-learning module on oral cancer screening, prevention and early detection was established as part of the Oral Cancer Screening and Prevention Program (funded by the Victorian Department of Health).The development of the e-learning module was led by Dental Health Services Victoria in partnership with The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), and the content was developed in consultation with experts from the University of Melbourne, Cancer Council Victoria and the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre.The Oral Cancer: Prevention, early detection and referral e-learning module was launched on the RACGP training website in November 2023.ORAL CANCER is among the top 10 most common cancers 1,2 and encompasses malignancies of the lip and oral cavity. 1 In 2022, it was estimated that 5189 Australians would be diagnosed with head and neck cancer.3 Over 89% of these cancers were projected to be oral cancers, consisting of 659 lip cancers and 707 mouth cancers.4 Although there has been a major reduction in lip cancers, new oral cancer diagnoses have not significantly changed and are predicted to increase.4
Language: English
Subfield: Periodontics
Field: Dentistry
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4405029073