Oral Cancer: The Forgotten Disease
Oral cancer is the largest group of those cancers which fall into the head and neck cancer category. Common names for it include such things as mouth cancer, tongue cancer, and throat cancer.
One American dies of oral cancer every hour of every day. This alarmingly high mortality rate is largely the result of the late stage at which the disease s typically detected. Approximately 34,000 people in the US will be newly diagnosed with oral cancer in 2007. This is the second year in a row in which there has been an increase in the rate of occurrence, this time of about 11% over last year.
Oral cancer is one of the few forms of cancer that have not experienced a significantly decreased mortality rate in the past 30 years. Deaths from oral cancer are higher than from cervical, testicular, laryngeal or thyroid cancer. It is estmated that only about half of the 34,000 Americans diagnosed with oral cancer will be alive in five years. Fortunately, the five-year survival rate for oral cancer can be 80% or higher with early detection.
One of the real dangers of this cancer is that in its early stages, it can go unnoticed. It can be painless, and little in the way of physical changes may be obvious. The good news is however, that your dentist can see or feel the precursor tissue changes, or the actual cancer while it is still very small, or in its earliest stages. It may appear as a white or red patch of tissue in the mouth, or a small indurated ulcer, which looks like a common canker sore. Because there are so many benign tissue changes that occur normally in your mouth, and some things as simple as a bite on the inside of your cheek may mimic the look of a dangerous tissue change, it is important to have any sore or discolored area of your mouth, which does not heal within 14 days, looked at by a professional.
VELscope
the latest technology to detect oral cancer.
The VELscope allows the dentist to detect cancer that can’t be seen with the naked eye. The VELscope exam, takes only two minutes, is affordable for the patient. It’s completely pain free.
The traditional profile of an oral cancer victim is that of a heavy user of tobacoo and alcohol who is at least 40 years old. However, the number of victims who do NOT fit this profile has been growing at an alarming rate in recent years.
VELscope is uniquely able to help facilitate the early detection of oral cancer, as it is the only adjunctive device cleared as an aid in the identification of lesions that may not be apparent with the naked eye.
Early screening, diagnosis, and treatment planning for oral cancer will save lives.
Dr Mark Just at GentleCare Dental Center, 337-0304 is now providing the VELscope exam.
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