title: Oral cancer calibration and diagnosis among professionals from the public health in São Paulo, Brazil.
abstract: Oral cancer is a public health problem responsible for 13% of deaths worldwide in 2008 and screening programs can be useful to detect individuals more vulnerable to the disease, improving its prognosis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to evaluate oral cancer calibration (in lux and in vivo methodologies) and diagnosis processes performed by dental surgeons (DSs) of the public health system in São Paulo, Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-three oral cancer photographs were examined during in lux calibration, while 560 individuals were examined during in vivo calibration. Oral conditions were coded as "0 - sound tissues", "1 - buccal lesions without malignant potential" and "2 - buccal lesions with malignant potential". The final sample for oral cancer screening was composed of 336 individuals, age-range 40 years or older.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Kappa values for interexaminer agreement were 0.67 and 0.45 for in lux and in vivo respectively. The accuracy of both methodologies was over 80%. Oral cancer screening revealed 48 healthy individuals, 273 oral lesions coded as "1" and 12 oral lesions coded as "2".
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In spite of the low reproducibility, the validity of the visual examination in oral cancer screening was satisfactory, showing its importance as part of preventive oral cancer programs and public health system campaigns.
authors.forename: José Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Health (DNS), Federal University of Viçosa (UFV) Zip code 36570-000, Viçosa, MG, Brazil. renatop.silva@ufv.br.
authors.forename: Renato Pereira
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Karine Laura
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Cortellazzi
authors.forename: Fabiana de Lima
authors.initials: Fde L
authors.lastname: Vazquez
authors.forename: Regina Auxiliadora de Amorim
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Marques
authors.forename: Antonio Carlos
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Marcelo de Castro
authors.initials: Mde C
authors.lastname: Meneghim
authors.forename: Fábio Luiz
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Mialhe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D002138:Calibration; D003815:Dentists / Q000592:standards*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010781:Photography; D010808:Physical Examination; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000175:diagnosis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011634:Public Health; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity