Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Screening for Oral Cancer: a Targeted Evidence Update for the U.s. Preventive Services Task Force: Evidence Synthesis Number 102 Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

In 2004, the U. S Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) found insufficient evidence in its review to recommend for or against screening for oral cancer. In this review, we are updating the evidence search and analysis to allow this recommendation to be reconsidered. Oral cancer includes cancers of the lip, oral cavity, and pharynx. Ninety percent of cancers of the oral cavity are squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) arising from the mucosal lining. The other 10 percent of oral cancers are malignant melanomas, salivary gland tumors, sarcomas of the soft tissues or jaw bones, nonHodgkin?s lymphomas, or metastases from extra-oral primary tumors. The USPSTF requested this targeted update to focus on the evidence gap in the conceptual framework about screening for oral cancer (i.e., any test or combination of tests used to detect PMDs or cancer of the lip, oral cavity, or pharynx). The two key questions are: Key Question 1 (KQ 1): Does screening for oral cancer reduce morbidity or mortality? Key Question 2 (KQ 2): What are the performance characteristics of the screening oral examination as a means of identifying oral cancer or PMDs for oral cancer?