The Importance of Mucosal Screening in the Prevention of Oral Cancer.

Summary

Patients attending the Department of Oral Mucosal and Periodontal Diseases at the University Dental Center of the Medical University of Warsaw who provide written informed consent will be invited to participate in the study.

Participation will begin with completing a short, anonymous questionnaire. The questions will focus on factors that may increase the risk of developing oral potentially malignant disorders and oral cancer, such as tobacco use, alcohol consumption, dietary habits, chronic diseases, and other health-related information.

Next, a comprehensive oral examination will be performed by a qualified dental hygienist according to a standardized examination protocol. The examination will include assessment of the lips, cheeks, gums, hard and soft palate, tongue, floor of the mouth, and throat. The oral mucosa will be evaluated for its appearance, colour, moisture, and the presence of any abnormalities, such as white or red patches, ulcers, erosions, nodules, or other lesions. A palpation examination of selected lymph nodes in the head and neck region will also be performed.

During the visit, oral hygiene will be assessed using an oral hygiene index. The condition of the teeth and any prosthetic restorations will also be evaluated to identify areas where dental plaque may accumulate or where chronic irritation of the oral mucosa may occur.

The final stage of the examination will involve assessment of the oral mucosa using the Oralitest fluorescence device. This is a painless, non-invasive procedure that uses light of a specific wavelength to examine the oral mucosa. The examination takes only a few minutes, requires no special preparation, and the device does not come into direct contact with the oral tissues. Healthy oral mucosa emits a characteristic green fluorescence, whereas areas that may require further investigation appear as darker regions. The result of the fluorescence examination is available immediately after the procedure.

Conditions

• OPMD
• Oral Cancer , Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Oral Cavity Cancer
• Oral Potentially Malignant Lesions
• Leukoplakia Oral
• Oral Mucosa
• Oral Mucosal Disease

Interventions

DEVICE

Fluorescent oral examination (FOE)

Oral Fluorescence Examination Fluorescent oral examination (FOE) - an intraoral examination - was conducted by a single dental hygienist (the study author) according to a predetermined protocol. Intraorally: the examination areas are identical to those in the COE intervention-the red of the lips, as well as specific areas of the oral mucosa (mucosa of the lips, cheeks, hard and soft palate, gums, alveolar ridge, tongue, and floor of the mouth). The mucosa will be examined for the presence of lesions that may suggest dysplasia-dark, irregular, often asymmetrical patches that stand out distinctly from the healthy, green-glowing tissue. This allows for the clear distinction of diseased, altered tissue-which appears as a darkened, irregular area-from the healthy background, which reflects light with its characteristic bright color.

DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Conventional oral examination

Conventional oral examination (COE)-including conventional external and intraoral examinations-was conducted by a single researcher, a dental hygienist and the author of the study, according to a predetermined, standardized protocol. Extroral: examination of lymph node palpability at the following sites: preauricular nodes, retroauricular nodes, parauricular node, and submandibular nodes. Intraoral: examination of the mucosal membranes of the lips, cheeks, hard and soft palate, gums, oral cavity floor, and tongue, as well as the presence of lesions (spots/patches-white, red, purple, black). In clinical material, the mucous membrane reveals the location, moisture level, and presence of lesions: spot/stain (white, red, purple, black), papule, nodule, tumor, blister, vesicle, bubble, pustule, abrasion, erosion, fissure, ulcer, scale, scab, scar. In order to implement corrective measures that may result in API effects.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Medical University of Warsaw

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Marta Sawczuk, MPH · Warszawski Uniwersytet Medyczny - Doktorant

Study Design

Allocation

NA

Purpose

DIAGNOSTIC

Masking

NONE

Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-06-01

Primary Completion

2027-08-31

Completion

2027-10-30

Countries

• Poland

Study Locations