title: [Evaluation of non-oncologist physician's knowledge and attitude towards cancer screening and preventive actions].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  New cancer cases are most often diagnosed by non-oncologist physicians. It is therefore essential for all physicians to be aware of cancer preventive practices and use them appropriately with their patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Questionnaires were administered to 120 non-oncologist physicians of various specialties attending the "Faculdade de Medicina do ABC" who deal directly with adult patients. Replies were collected and classified as appropriate or not according to one of these three cancer prevention guidelines: INCA, American Cancer Society and Canadian Task Force.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The percentage of replied questionnaires was 58.3% (70 questionnaires). Mean age of physicians was 33.9 years; 57.1% were women and 10% smokers. Most of the current preventive practices adopted by the participating physicians (45.72% to 100%) regarding the most common and preventable tumors (breast, cervix, prostate, colon and rectum and non-melanoma skin cancer) did not agree with any of the guidelines mentioned above. When questioned about possible impediments for the appropriate practice of cancer prevention, 82.86% reported absence of health education agents working with the population, 77.14% scarceness of knowledge or training concerning prevention, and 70.15% lack of financial support for ordering tests. Frequently, whenever there was disagreement between the guidelines and the physician's current practices, preventive tests were ordered in excess of those recommended by the guidelines.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Physicians had a tendency to order excessive laboratory tests, an action which can be related to lack of knowledge and to divergence among guidelines. A more intensive educational effort regarding cancer prevention, directed towards teaching physicians in training, seems to be warranted.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina do ABC, Santo André, SP.
authors.forename: Luciana Tomanik Cardozo de Mello
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Tucunduva
authors.forename: Victor Hugo Lara Cardoso de
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Sá
authors.forename: Erika Tae
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Koshimura
authors.forename: Fernanda Vilas Boas
authors.initials: FV
authors.lastname: Prudente
authors.forename: Andréa Felice dos
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Eliana Sueco Tibana
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Samano
authors.forename: Luciano José Megale
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Auro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Del Giglio
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D032921:Consensus; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires