KNOWLEDGE TOWARDS LAPAROSCOPIC SURGERY FOR COLORECTAL CANCER AMONG MEDICAL STUDENTS AND INTERNS IN KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA

Background: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer diagnosed among men, and the second most common in women. Yet more awareness is still required about this illness. Colorectal cancer treatment depends on the stage of the disease including radiation, ablation, chemotherapy or endoscopic treatment. Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the level of knowledge towards laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer among medical students and interns in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Methods: This is a multicenter, cross-sectional observational study. Data was collected using an online designed questionnaire distributed, via a link to Google forms, to medical students and interns in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire included some questions about; age, sex, level of education and the name of university in addition to assessment questions about laparoscopic surgery medical knowledge. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version (SPSS). Results: Number of participants was 106 (50% of each gender) with a mean +/- SD age of 24.5 +/- 1.7 years. Around 63.2% of the participants were interns and 36.8% were students from different universities in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The largest proportion of the participants (38.7%) was from Taif University. Upon analysis of the questionnaire answers, the data revealed a median (IRQ) total score of 6(2) points out of 10 points. Conclusion: Although the participants tended to answer questions correctly more often, the level of knowledge about laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery among students and interns in Saudi Arabia is considered to me moderate. There is a need to improve the level of knowledge about this management technique which will eventually ensure a better quality of care for the patients.