Prevalence and incidence of oral cancer and pre-cancerous lesions in indigenous populations: a systematic review protocol.

Objective: This review will determine the prevalence and incidence of oral cancer and pre-cancerous lesions in indigenous populations.

Introduction: There are approximately 476 million indigenous individuals worldwide. Oral cancer affected over 350,000 people globally in 2018, with approximately 80% of cases occurring in the indigenous population. Moreover, the incidence of pre-cancerous lesions is high in this population, accounting for 48.3%. Limited evidence exists regarding the burden of oral cancer among indigenous populations despite research on oral health disparities in this group.

Inclusion criteria: Studies on the burden of oral cancer and pre-cancerous lesions in indigenous groups, considering rates, ratios (prevalence or mortality), or survival proportions, will be considered for inclusion. There will be no limitations on study design, language, age, gender, or geography. We will exclude studies that only identify, diagnose, or screen oral cancer and pre-cancerous lesions without mentioning prevalence and incidence.

Methods: This review will follow the JBI methodology for systematic reviews of prevalence and incidence. Databases to be searched will include MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), CINAHL (EBSCOhost), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Scopus, and Dentistry and Oral Sciences Source (EBSCOhost). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, OAIster, International Association for Dental Research conference abstracts, Google Scholar, government reports, and cancer registry reports will also be screened for unpublished studies. Two reviewers will independently screen articles, and data will be extracted using a customized form. Narrative data synthesis will be conducted and, where appropriate, meta-analysis will be performed. Methodological quality will be assessed using JBI's critical appraisal tool for prevalence studies.

Review registration: PROSPERO CRD42023402858.