title: Mouth self-examination as a screening tool for oral cancer in a high-risk group of patients with Fanconi anemia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Oral cancer usually occurs at accessible sites, enabling early detection by visual inspection. Fanconi anemia (FA) is a recessive disorder associated with a high risk of developing head and neck solid tumors. The aim of this study was to assess the ability to perform mouth self-examination (MSE) in these patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 44 patients with FA, aged ≥ 18 years, were given a self-reported questionnaire to collect sociodemographic data and information about health-related behaviors and oral cancer awareness. They were asked to perform MSE, which was evaluated using criteria for mucosal visualization and retracting ability. Subsequently, an oral medicine specialist clinically examined all participants, and these findings were considered to be the gold standard.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sensitivity and specificity values of MSE were 43% and 44%, respectively. The MSE accuracy was 43%. Most patients (73%) reported that MSE was easy or very easy, although 75% showed insufficient performance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The accuracy of MSE alone is not sufficient to indicate whether MSE should be recommended as a strategy to prevent oral cancer in patients with FA. Nevertheless, the present results indicate that this inexpensive technique could be used as a tool for early detection of cancer in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Paraná School of Dentistry, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Camila Pinheiro
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Furquim
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Paraná School of Dentistry, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil. Electronic address: lana.pivovar@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Allana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pivovar
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Dentistry, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Laura Grein
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Cavalcanti
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Dentistry, Hospital de Clínicas, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Renata Fuentes
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Araújo
authors.affiliation: Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, Hospital de Clínicas, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carmem Maria
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Sales Bonfim
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Dentistry, Department of Stomatology, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cassius Carvalho
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Torres-Pereira
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005199:Fanconi Anemia / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016353:Self-Examination; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires