Awareness of mouth cancer in Great Britain

Key Points Mouth cancer is one of the most distressing forms of cancer because of its disfiguring effects and high mortality rate. The large majority of people are, in some sense, aware that they can get cancer of the mouth and that smoking is a risk factor. Far fewer people are aware of the role of alcohol in cancer of the mouth or what to look out for in terms of early signs. Those at greatest risk are generally the least likely to be aware of risk factors and early signs. Mass media campaigns and healthcare practitioners have an important role to play in educating those at high risk about how to reduce their risk and what to look out for in terms of early signs. Objective There are more than 2,000 new cases of mouth cancer each year in Britain. Early detection is important yet little is known about population awareness of this disease and ability to recognise early signs, particularly among high risk groups. This study aimed to address this issue. Methods Data were collected by means of household survey. A total of 3,384 adults were questioned using a national probability sample. Respondents provided information on demographic characteristics, smoking status, and frequency of alcohol use. They were asked whether they had heard of mouth cancer. Their knowledge of early signs and risk factors was assessed. Results Whereas 95.6% of respondents said they had heard of mouth cancer, their awareness of early signs was low; for example, only 33.8% recognised that white patches in the mouth were a sign. The large majority understood that smoking and chewing tobacco were risk factors (84.7% and 80.1% respectively) but only 19.4% recognised alcohol use as a risk factor. In multiple logistic regression analyses controlling for relevant demographic factors, smokers and those with more frequent alcohol consumption were less likely to recognise early signs. Conclusions Awareness of early signs of mouth cancer is low and lower in people who as a result of their behaviour are at higher risk. There is a need to raise awareness in those at most risk.