Knowledge And Awareness Of Cancer Immunotherapy Among Dental Students And Dental Professionals- A Questionnaire Based Survey
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56802/ajxm8h57Keywords:
Awareness, Cancer immunotherapy, Dental education, Dental professionals, Dental students, Knowledge, Questionnaire surveyAbstract
Background: Cancer immunotherapy has emerged as a revolutionary approach in cancer treatment, significantly improving patient outcomes. As oral healthcare provid
ers often play a role in early cancer detection and multidisciplinary care, it is crucial for dental students and professionals to possess adequate knowledge and awareness of this therapeutic modality.
Aim: To assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) related to cancer immunotherapy among undergraduate and postgraduate dental professional.
Methods: A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based online survey was conducted among dental undergraduates, postgraduates, and practicing professionals. The questionnaire included items on general knowledge, clinical relevance, sources of information, and perceived need for education regarding cancer immunotherapy. The responses were scored numerically and represented as percentile and statistically analysed using Pearson Chi-Square test and a p value of ≤0.05 was inferred as statistically significant.
Results: Out of 132 respondents, a substantial proportion demonstrated limited knowledge of cancer immunotherapy, especially among undergraduate students. The comparison of age and qualification of the study participants was statistically significant with a p value of ≤0.05, whereas gender was found be to be not significant. 98.5% were aware of types of oral cancer and 80.3% had come across patient with oral cancer. 81.8% were aware of targeted drug therapy for cancer, 82.6% were aware that immunotherapy works by boosting immune system and 80.3% were aware that T cells were used in immunotherapy so 81.8% agreed that immunotherapy was an innovative cancer treatment option.
Conclusion: The study highlights a significant knowledge gap regarding cancer immunotherapy among dental students, particularly at the undergraduate level. Integration of immunotherapy-related content into dental curricula and continuing education programs is strongly recommended to equip future dental professionals with essential interdisciplinary competencies in cancer care.
