Figure 1
Methodology flowchart of the narrative review. The figure illustrates the structured approach used to identify, screen, and include studies in the qualitative synthesis (n = 60).
Table 1
Summary of representative publications.
| AUTHOR (YEAR) | STUDY TYPE | JOURNAL | REGION/COUNTRY | KEY FINDINGS RELEVANT TO REVIEW |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sankaranarayanan et al. (2015) | Cluster RCT | World Bank Data | Global and LMICs | Community‑based oral cancer screening reduced mortality by 34% among high‑risk users. |
| Atun et al. (2015) | Policy analysis | Lancet Oncol | Global | Identified radiotherapy access gap of 65% in LMICs. |
| Mehrtash et al. (2017) | Consensus policy paper | Lancet Oncol | South Asia | Highlighted areca nut as emerging carcinogenic driver. |
| Gupta et al. (2016) | Epidemiological study | Nepal J Epidemiol | LMICs | Documented 1.3 billion tobacco users concentrated in LMICs. |
| Bray et al. (2024) | Epidemiologic report | CA Cancer J Clin | Global | Updated GLOBOCAN estimates showing >80% of oral cancer burden in LMICs. |
Table 2
Comparative indicators: Oral cancer in HICs vs. LMICs.
| INDICATOR | HICs | LMICs | PRIMARY DATA SOURCE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five‑year survival (%) | 65–85% | 25–45% | CONCORD‑3, Lancet, 2018 |
| Stage I–II detection rate (%) | 55–70% | 15–35% | Sankaranarayanan et al., 2015 |
| Radiotherapy units per 1 million population | 12–15% | 1–2% | Atun et al., 2015 |
| Tobacco use prevalence (%) | 22% | 45% | WHO GHO, 2024 |
| National oral cancer screening coverage (%) | 60–70% | <10% | WHO PEN, 2023 |
| HPV vaccination coverage (%) | 75–90% | <50% | Bruni et al., 2016 |
| Health expenditure (% GDP) | 8–10% | 2–4% | World Bank, 2024 |