Diagnostic tests for oral cancer and potentially malignant disorders in patients presenting with clinically evident lesions

The objectives are as follows:To estimate the accuracy of index tests for the detection of oral cancer and potentially malignant disorders of the lip and oral cavity in patients presenting with clinically evident lesions.To estimate the relative accuracy of the different tests.We will use meta-regression to explore possible sources of heterogeneity. Covariates in these analyses will include:• characteristics of the study sample: prevalence of the disease in the study, the type of specialist (e.g. frontline clinicians, specialists and ’super-specialists’, i.e. those who see surveillance populations), setting (country, type of facility), proportion of human papillomavirus positive adults, tobacco users/high alcohol consumption; and• target conditions: the nature of target conditions included.