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Oral and dental complications, including medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ), are significant but often overlooked side effects of cancer treatment. Improving healthcare providers’ awareness is essential for early identification and prevention. This study investigated healthcare providers’ self-reported awareness and attitudes/practices regarding these complications and examined the association of education and oncology experience with awareness, attitudes/practices, and adherence to clinical guidelines. A cross-sectional survey was administered to physicians, pharmacists, and nurses directly involved in the care of cancer patients at Sultan Qaboos Comprehensive Cancer Care and Research Center (SQCCCRC). Descriptive statistics summarized demographic characteristics, while Kruskal-Wallis and Fisher’s exact tests evaluated group differences. Spearman’s correlation assessed associations between education, oncology experience, and awareness. A total of 162 healthcare providers participated (47.5% nurses directly involved in cancer patient care, 30.9% physicians, and 21.6% pharmacists; median age 34 years). Awareness of oral and dental side effects was moderate and significantly higher among respondents with greater oncology experience and higher educational qualifications (p = 0.005 and p = 0.003, respectively). MRONJ awareness correlated positively with clinical experience (p = 0.024), oncology experience (p < 0.0001), and educational level (p = 0.005), although awareness of MRONJ risk factors remained limited. Nurses reported the most favorable attitude toward managing oral complications (p = 0.017). Adherence to clinical guidelines was higher among those with more than 10 years of oncology experience (p = 0.031). While 79.6% correctly selected immediate referral for suspected MRONJ, 34% reported being unaware of relevant clinical guidelines. Notably, higher familiarity with MRONJ was associated with more frequent dental referrals (ρ = 0.314, p < 0.001), whereas no association was observed between MRONJ familiarity and the perceived importance of preventive dental referral prior to initiating bone-modifying agents (ρ = −0.04, p = 0.66). Oncology-specific experience and higher educational attainment were key predictors of awareness and guideline adherence regarding oral complications of cancer therapy. Although referral practices were generally appropriate, substantial gaps remain in MRONJ risk-factor awareness and preventive attitudes, suggesting that MRONJ is often managed reactively rather than proactively through early dental integration. These findings highlight the need for standardized, interdisciplinary education and stronger integration of oral health into oncology care pathways. Multi-center studies are warranted to confirm and extend these findings.
Kamel et al. (Thu,) studied this question.