A Big Step In Oral Cancer Detection

By Duke H. Kim, DDS, MAGD

Ballston Dental Arts

. https://www.ballstondentalarts.com/

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A Big Step In Oral Cancer Detection

One of the dilemmas faced in dentistry is the appalling amount of oral cancer that is not detected. The American Dental Association states that only 15 percent of patients are informed that they are being for oral cancer, despite the fact that a routine oral cancer screening should be conducted on every patient once a year.

Oral cancers are the only malignancies with a survival rate that has not changed significantly over the past four decades. About 30,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral or pharyngeal cancer this year. This poses a baseline risk of 1 in 10,000. It is suggested that there has been little change in early detection of oral cancer between 1973 and 1996, reflecting a deficiency in professional and public education with respect to the early recognition of oral cancer. Risk factors for oral cancer have recently expanded to include the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV16), in addition to tobacco use, frequent and/or excessive alcohol consumption, a compromised immune system, and past history of cancer. This further emphasizes the need for a more objective, adjunctive screening technology.

The VELscope is an ultra-violet light system which shows inconsistencies in oral soft tissue. The handheld device emits a harmless, bright blue light which is used to inspect the mouth and tongue. The device is extremely sensitive to abnormal tissue changes and the distinctive blue-spectrum light causes the soft tissues of the mouth to naturally fluoresce.

Healthy tissues fluoresce in distinct patterns that are visibly disrupted by trauma or disease, such as cancerous tissue, neoplastic lesions, and fungal, viral or bacterial infections. This allows for earlier detection which in turn increases the survival rate of the cancer patient. If detected within the first 5 years, oral cancer has an 80 percent survival rate, yet if diagnosed after 5 years oral cancer has an 80 percent mortality rate.

Since the release of the VELscope, oral cancer and disease detection has made incredible progress in just the last few years. Be sure to ask if your dentist uses VELscope devices in his or her practice and remember to get into the habit of a yearly oral cancer screening.