Use of Remote Intervention Tools for the Assessment of Oral Alterations in the Context of Oral Cancer Prevention: A Scoping Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15517/4040xe34Keywords:
Early detection; Oral cancer; Prevention; Remote consultation; Telehealth; Teledentistry.Abstract
To map the use of remote digital intervention tools for the identification of oral lesions suspected of malignancy, describing outcomes, user and professional acceptance, and contributions to the early diagnosis of oral cancer. The review followed the PRISMA-ScR guidelines and searches were conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Embase, LILACS, Web of Science, and grey literature, without restrictions on publication date, geography or language. Articles that helped to answer the question “How can remote intervention tools contribute to the evaluation of oral alterations in the context of oral cancer prevention?” were considered eligible for inclusion. Two independent reviewers (MEM and MLR) performed the articles selection and data extraction. A total of 230 records were identified; of these, 18 met the inclusion criteria. Most interventions were asynchronous, were based on mobile applications and digital platforms, and usually focused on communication between professionals. The majority of studies reported good diagnostic accuracy, a reduction in unnecessary referrals, and feasibility in resource-limited settings. According to this review, most remote intervention tools are based on asynchronous interaction among professionals, with diagnostic accuracy as the main outcome. The results are satisfactory and good agreement with in-person clinical examination is observed. When well structured, digital tools represent promising strategies to expand the reach of preventive actions and promote the early diagnosis of oral cancer.
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