FACTORS LINKED TO EARLY DETECTION OF ORAL AND PHARYNGEAL CANCER

Introduction: Oral and pharyngeal cancers continue to rise in low and middle-income countries, which have a high proportion of patients presenting at advanced stages and poor survival. The ability to get early detection remains a significant factor in developing countries like Pakistan because of the low levels of knowledge and health facility accessibility. Objective: To identify and evaluate the factors associated with early detection of oral and pharyngeal cancer among patients in Pakistan. Materials and Method: The cross-sectional study was conducted at Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department, Foundation University Islamabad over six months from January 2024 to June 2024. A total of 150 newly diagnosed patients were included in this study. Demographic information, risk factors, knowledge and perceptions, and tumor profiles were obtained through communication and patient records. Results:  A disturbing discovery was made regarding the stage of diagnosis, where only 30% of the patients were diagnosed early. The results showed that people from higher education, those who reside in urban areas, or those who previously had awareness of the symptoms were likely to get it early. According to the results, most patients stated that they used tobacco and sought medical care after getting the symptoms.