Oral Cancer
The Importance of Early
Detection
Your dentist has recent good
news about progress against
cancer. It is now easier than
ever to detect oral cancer
early, when the opportunity for
a cure is great. Only half of
all patients diagnosed with oral
cancer survive more than five
years.
Your dentist has the skills and
tools to ensure that early signs
of cancer and pre-cancerous
conditions are identified. You
and your dentist can fight and
win the battle against oral
cancer. Know the early signs and
see your dentist regularly.
You Should Know
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Oral Cancer often starts as
a tiny, unnoticed white or
red spot or sore anywhere in
the mouth.
-
It can affect any area of
the oral cavity including
the lips, gum tissue, check
lining, tongue and the hard
or soft palate.
-
Other signs include:
-
A sore that bleeds
easily or does not heal
-
A color change of the
oral tissues
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A lump, thickening,
rough spot, crust or
small eroded area
-
Pain, tenderness, or
numbness anywhere in the
mouth or on the lips
-
Difficulty chewing,
swallowing, speaking or
moving the jaw or
tongue.
-
A change in the way the
teeth fit together
-
Oral Cancer most often
occurs in those who use
tobacco in any form.
-
Alcohol use combined with
smoking greatly increases
risk.
-
Prolonged exposure to the
sun increases the risk of
lip cancer.
-
More than 25% of oral
cancers occur in people who
do not smoke and have no
other risk factors.
-
Oral Cancer is more likely
to strike after age 40.
-
Studies suggest that a diet
high in fruits and
vegetables may prevent the
development of potentially
cancerous lesions.
Regular Dental Check-ups
Important
Oral cancer screening is a
routine part of a dental
examination. Regular check-ups,
including an examination of the
entire mouth, are essential in
the early detection of cancerous
and pre-cancerous conditions.
You may have a very small, but
dangerous, oral spot or sore and
not be aware of it.
Your dentist will carefully
examine the inside of your mouth
and tongue and in some patients
may notice a flat, painless,
white or red spot or a small
sore. Although most of these are
harmless, some are not. Harmful
oral spots or sores often look
identical to those that are
harmless, but testing can tell
them apart. If you have a sore
with a likely cause, your
dentist may treat it and ask you
to return for re-examination.
Dentists often will notice a
spot or sore that looks harmless
and does not have a clear cause.
To ensure that a spot or sore is
not dangerous, your dentist may
choose to perform a simple test,
such as a BrushTest. As powerful
as a pap smear, which detects
abnormal cells in women, a
BrushTest collects cells from a
suspicious lesion in the mouth.
The cells are sent to a
laboratory for analysis. If
precancerous cells are found,
the lesion can be surgically
removed if necessary during a
separate procedure. Itʼs
important to know that all
atypical and positive results
from a BrushTest must be
confirmed by incisional biopsy
and histology.
Facts About Oral Cancer
Incidence and Mortality
-
Oral cancer strikes an
estimated 34,360 Americans
each year. An estimated
7,550 people (5,180 men and
2,370 women) will die of
these cancers in 2007.
-
More than 25% of the 30,000
Americans who get oral
cancer will die of the
disease.
-
Oral cancer is as common as
leukemia and claims more
lives that either melanoma
or cervical cancer.
-
On average, only half of
those diagnosed with the
disease will survive more
than five years.
-
African-Americans are
especially vulnerable; the
incidence rate is 1/3 higher
than whites and the
mortality rate is almost
twice as high.
Risk Factors
-
Although the use of tobacco
and alcohol are risk factors
in developing oral cancer,
approximately 25% of oral
cancer patients have no
known risk factors.
-
There has been a nearly
five-fold increase in
incidence in oral cancer
patients under age 40, many
with no known risk factors.
-
The incidence of oral cancer
in women has increased
significantly, largely due
to an increase in women
smoking. In 1950 the male to
female ratio was 6:1; by
2002, it was 2:1.
Prevention and Detection
-
The best way to prevent oral
cancer is to avoid tobacco
and alcohol use.
-
Regular dental check-ups,
including an examination of
the entire mouth, are
essential in the early
detection of cancerous and
pre-cancerous conditions.
-
Many types of abnormal cells
can develop in the oral
cavity in the form of red or
white spots. Some are
harmless and benign, some
are cancerous and others are
pre-cancerous, meaning they
can develop into cancer if
not detected early and
removed. (American Cancer
Society)
-
Finding and removing
epithelial dysplasias before
they become cancer can be
one of the most effective
methods for reducing the
incidence and mortality of
cancer.
-
Knowing the risk factors and
seeing your dentist for oral
cancer screenings can help
prevent this deadly disease.
Routine use of the Pap smear
since 1955, for example,
dramatically reduced the
incidence and mortality
rates for cervical cancer in
the United States.
Similarly, use of
colonoscopy now makes it
possible to detect
dysplastic polyps years
before they can turn into
colon cancer and is
contributing to falling
rates of mortality for the
disease.
-
Oral cancer is often
preceded by the presence of
clinically identifiable
premalignant changes. These
lesions may present as
either white or red patches
or spots. Identifying white
and red spots that show
dysplasia and removing them
before they become cancer is
an effective method for
reducing the incidence and
mortality of cancer.