Oncogenes and their Role in Oral Oncogenesis - A Survey

Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma [OSCC] is the most common malignancy of the oral cavity. The etiological agents for OSCC are tobacco, betel quid, smoking, and alcohol. Oral cancer also has a genetic basis that is mediated by oncogenes.

Aim: The aim of the survey was to evaluate the knowledge about the role of oncogenes in oral oncogenesis among undergraduate dental students.

Materials and Methods: The study was a questionnaire-based survey and the respondents were to fourth year or interns of an undergraduate dental school. The sample size of the study was 100 and simple random sampling was used for choosing the sample population. The collected data was validated, tabulated, and analyzed with Statistical Package for Social Sciences for Windows, version 20.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA), and results were obtained.

Results and Conclusion: 25% of the respondents were fourth-year students and 75% were interns. About 98% of respondents were aware of the genetic basis of oral cancer. However, their knowledge about the role of oncogenes in oral cancer was very limited. A statistically significant association [P<0.05] was seen between the year of study and knowledge about oncogenes. Hence, measures have to be taken to impart knowledge about oncogenes for better diagnosis and targeted therapy.