Aim: To assess the knowledge and attitude of undergraduate dental students about oral cancer. Methods: A cross-sectional, quantitative study was conducted based on a questionnaire containing 15 questions about prevention, clinical aspects, and attitudes towards oral cancer. One hundredthirty-three undergraduate dental students between the second and fifth years were enrolled. The statistical significance was measured by Pearson's chi-square test. Results: There was a predominance of females (58.65%) and most students were between 20 and 30 years of age (75.19%). The risk factors for oral cancer mainly described by the students were smoking (92.48%) and drinking (84.21%). Squamous cell carcinoma was described as the most common type of oral cancer by 48.12% of the students. As much as 53.38% of the participants considered the tongue as the most affected anatomic region, 57.89% reported ulcers as the most frequent clinical aspect, and 44.36% attributed a firm and painless aspect to the regional metastatic lymph nodes. Most students reported regularly conducting a thorough examination of the oral cavity (81.95%). Two of the 15 variables showed differences between the students, according to the school time: previous head and neck carcinoma (Pearson's chi-square, p = 0.03) and guidance on the discontinuation of harmful habits (Pearson's chi-square, p = 0.02). Conclusions: Students have a good knowledge of the etiology of oral cancer and are apparently alert in their examinations. The clinical aspects of the oral carcinoma, however, are not so clear. The difference regarding knowledge and attitudes towards oral cancer was minimal when different undergraduate years were considered. It is necessary to implement the clinical suspicion of oral cancer throughout the undergraduate course to enable awareness and early diagnosis.

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Violence against women has increased over the years and is a serious violation of human

Fig 1-Mean changes in blood flow, diastolic diameter, and distensibility ofbrachial artery in 12 diabetic subjects and 12 controls during reactive hyperaemia, 1Oug glyceryl trinitrate, and 400 ,ug glyceryl trinitrate. Bars show 95% confidence intervals (9) mm Hg; blood flow 45 (28) v 49 (41) m/min; diastolic diameter 482 (0 60) v 4-47 (1P05) mm; distensibility 4-8 (1-4) v 5 9 (1-6) per kPa). During reactive hyperaemia, heart rate, blood pressure, and the increase in brachial artery blood flow (5548% (99 5%) v 590% (106&6%)) were similar in diabetic and normal subjects (figure 1) but the increases in brachial artery diastolic diameter (1 2% (2-7%) v 9-1% (4-4%); difference 6-9% (95% confidence interval 4.9% to 11%)) and distensibility (-15-3% (10-4%) v 31% (31-7%); difference 46-3% (25-5% to 67<1%)) were significantly less in diabetic subjects (both P < 0-00 1). After 10 ,ug glyceryl trinitrate or 400 ,ug glyceryl trinitrate the increase in flow, diameter, and distensibility was similar in diabetic and normal subjects (figure 1). 700-Comment Endothelium dependent, flow related dilatation and increase in distensibility of the brachial artery are greatly impaired in patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes, but endothelium independent responses induced by glyceryl trinitrate are similar to those in normal subjects. Loss of flow related increase in arterial distensibility will augment systolic pressure, myocardial wall stress, and heart work relative to stroke output, potentially promoting left ventricular hypertrophy and lowering ischaemic threshold. Late systolic pressure will be further augmented by early wave reflection from the periphery3 because pulse wave velocity is increased when distensibility is reduced. Loss of flow mediated vasodilatation reflects endothelial dysfunction and may thus also provide a marker of atherogenetic susceptibility. Our data provide evidence ofvascular dysfunction in non-insulin dependent diabetes before the appearance of microalbuminuria, previously regarded as its earliest marker.4We thank Dr J R Peters for allowing us to study patients under his care and Wendy Simons and Julie-Ann Davies for their secretarial assistance.Funding: British Heart Foundation. Conflict of interest: None.

Histopathological characteristics and the expression of FAS and ErbB2 carry prognosis importance in local recurrence and overall survival in OSCC.