title: [Signs of upper airways digestive tract cancers and the general practitionner. Study of the practices by a Script Test Concordance].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Upper Airways digestive tract cancers are the 4th more frequent cancer. They are responsible for non specific symptoms. The examination of this antomical region is very difficult for a general practitioner. The precoce diagnosis of these cancers is based on the good recognition of the clinical situations by the general practitioner. The aim of this study was to test the practice of the general practitioner in front of clinical situations typical of head and neck cancers by a Script test concordance.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was performed on 107 parisian general practitioners who answered a questionnaire based on a Script Concordance Test (SCT). The SCT is a questionnaire that test the clinical way of thinking comparing the use of an information of experts versus non experts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The answers of the practitioners tested were quite in accordance with the panel of experts' anwers. They were particularly good concerning the risk factors and the buccal and oropharyngeal cancers. The scores were lower concerning the nasopharyngeal, laryngeal and paranasal sinuses cancers. The scores were significantly better for the most experimented practitioners.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The fact that the rhinopharygeal, the laryngeal and the paranasal sinuses cancers are less frequent and the fact that these cancers can not be seen directly during a standard physical examination of general practitioner can explain the lower scores for these types of head and neck cancers. That is why practitioners have to be particularly aware of the symptoms and have to ask a specialized advice in case of doubt.
authors.affiliation: Hôpital d'Instruction des Armées Percy, Service de Chirurgie Cervico-Faciale, 101 avenue Henri Barbusse, 92141 Clamart, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Luft
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pons
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D058005:General Practitioners; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D010255:Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D010808:Physical Examination; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires