Risk-based selection of individuals for oral cancer screening

A new study by scientists from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and international partners provides a proof of principle for resource-efficient, risk-based oral cancer screening, through a reanalysis of outcomes of the Kerala Oral Cancer Screening Randomized Controlled Trial in India.

In the Kerala trial, the efficacy of oral cancer screening was greatest in individuals with the highest risk of oral cancer. The researchers observed that screening 100% of the population would result in a 27% reduction in mortality from oral cancer, whereas screening only 22% of the population composed of ever-tobacco and/or ever-alcohol users with the highest risk would result in a 20% reduction in oral cancer mortality.

These results provide a proof of principle that risk-based oral cancer screening could substantially enhance the efficiency of screening programmes.

Cheung LC, Ramadas K, Muwonge R, Katki HA, Thomas G, Graubard BI, et al.
Risk-based selection of individuals for oral cancer screening
J Clin Oncol, Published online 15 January 2021;
https://doi.org/10.1200/jco.20.02855

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