Further education on oral cancer necessary among community pharmacists

More educational resources on oral cancer are needed, particularly aimed at community pharmacists, as shown in a UK study.

“Community pharmacists have a crucial role in efforts to improve rates of early detection of oral cancers,” the authors said. “Work should be completed to explore the establishment of direct referral pathways from community pharmacy to secondary care.”

This cross-sectional digital survey was distributed through social media from August to September 2021. The authors obtained data on participants’ demographics, oral cancer awareness, and educational resources relevant to oral cancer.  They then analysed the results using descriptive statistics.

The survey was completed by 61 pharmacists, of which 40 (65.6 percent) were female and 33 (54.1 percent) were aged 18‒30 years.

Twenty-three respondents (37.7 percent) reported feeling confident in recognizing risk factors for oral cancer, while eight (13.1 percent) incorrectly selected use of fluoride toothpaste as a risk factor. Most of the pharmacists correctly suggested flagging patients with symptoms of oral cancer to a general medical (n=35, 57.3 percent) or general dental practitioner (n=46, 75.4 percent).

In addition, almost all the respondents (n=56, 91.8 percent) would welcome an educational resource to support professional development.

“The incidence of oral cancers is rising in the UK, with early detection a significant positive prognostic factor,” the authors said. “Community pharmacists are well positioned to play an expanded role in supporting earlier detection.”