AUTHOR=AlRabeeah Saad M. , Alzahrani Eidan M. , Aldhahir Abdulelah M. , Siraj Rayan A. , Alqarni Abdullah A. , AlDraiwiesh Ibrahim A. , Alqahtani Abdullah S. , Almqati Badr S. , Alharbi Turki G. , Almuntashiri Abdulraheem A. , Alghamdi Saeed M. , Aljohani Fahad E. , Almulhim Mohammed A. , Alshehri Ali F. , Naser Abdallah Y. , Alwafi Hassan , Alobaidi Nowaf Y. , Hjazi Ahmed M. , Alsulaimani Mujahid A. , Oyelade Tope , Alahmari Mushabbab , Alanazi Turki M. , Almeshari Mohammed A. , Alqahtani Jaber S. 

TITLE=A population-based study of 15,000 people on Knowledge and awareness of lung cancer symptoms and risk factors in Saudi Arabia

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Oncology

VOLUME=Volume 14 - 2024

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2024.1295847

DOI=10.3389/fonc.2024.1295847

ISSN=2234-943X

ABSTRACT=Background ‎
Lung cancer is currently the most fatal form of cancer worldwide, ranking as the fourth most ‎prevalent type in Saudi Arabia, particularly among males. This trend is expected to increase with ‎growing population, lifestyle changes, and aging population. Understanding the awareness of the ‎Saudi population regarding the risk factors and symptoms of lung cancer is necessary to attenuate ‎the predicted increase in cases.‎
Method ‎
A cross-sectional, population-based survey was performed using a previously validated ‎questionnaire (Lung CAM). Multiple linear regression analysis was used to assess variables ‎associated with deficiency in knowledge and awareness of risk factors and symptoms of lung ‎cancer. ‎
Results ‎
Majority of the 15,099 respondents were male (65%), aged between 18 and 30 years (53%), ‎‎50% of which were educated up to a bachelor’s degree level. Overall awareness of lung ‎cancer signs and symptoms was 53%, with painful cough and coughing up blood being the ‎best-known symptoms. Conversely, persistent shoulder pain (44%) and clubbing fingers ‎‎(47%) were the least known lung cancer symptoms. Also, 60% of the respondents showed ‎low confidence in identifying the signs and symptoms of lung cancer. The overall awareness ‎of the risk factors for lung cancer development was 74%, with first-hand (74%) and second-‎hand (68%) smoking being the most known risk factors. However, only ≤ 62% know the other ‎non-smoking risk factors. Awareness of the risk factors and symptoms of lung cancer ‎depended on age, gender, education, marital and employment status (p < 0.001).‎
Conclusion ‎
Public awareness of the risk factors and symptoms of lung cancer in Saudi Arabia is ‎inadequate and heavily dependent on education and socio-economic status. Awareness can ‎be improved through campaigns to raise awareness about other lesser-known lung cancer ‎risk factors and symptoms. ‎