Oral Cancer Death Rates Now Higher Than Many Others

By R.S. Mayberry, DDS

Dentists and physicians perform oral cancer screenings, but, usually, they have little time to educate patients about diagnosis and treatment, so here's some basic information to help you understand why regular screening is so important.

According to the American Cancer Society, although diagnosis rates for oral cancer have been falling over the last 10 years from approximately 40,000 to 35,000 people each year (or 110 to 95 people per day), there has been an increase in cases related to HPV (human papilloma virus) infection. This is noteworthy because many people think that if they don't have a history of smoking or alcohol abuse, they are not at risk, but one of every 95 people will be diagnosed with some form of oral cancer in their lifetime.

To put this into perspective, the mortality rate for oral cancer is greater than that of cervical cancer, some common lymphomas, like Hodgkin's, endocrine cancer, and some other common forms of cancer.

Oral Cavity and Pharyngeal Cancer Late Stage Discovery Leads To Survival Rates As Low As 30%

Because the disease can grow in the mouth and throat with little pain or symptoms, and there is no program of screening standards in the US, it is often caught in late stages, when survival rates are lowest. When caught early (stage I), survival rates can be as high as 97 percent, while stage IV can be as low as 30 percent.

Symptoms Of Oral Cancer

Oral cancer may occur in different locations of the mouth, including the lip, tongue, mouth floor, throat, and gums. Symptoms may include thickened white patches on the gums or inside of the cheek, red lesions or patches, a lump or swelling, difficulty chewing, swallowing, moving the tongue, numbness, a change in the voice, and sore throat.

How Your Dentist Screens For Oral Cancer

Every visit to your dentist should include a physical exam that checks for signs of tissue abnormalities, but you need to tell your dentist or hygienist if you are experiencing any pain, numbness, or other symptoms that may not be physically evident. In addition, some dentists use new technologies, like ViziLite, as a diagnostic aid, which improves detection of cancerous tissue in the mouth.

If you are at increased risk or experiencing any of the symptoms for oral cancer, your dentist or physician may also refer you to a specialist or order pathology tests to complete your diagnosis.

Preventing Oral Cancer

You can help reduce your risk of oral cancer by avoiding tobacco and alcohol (especially if you are a smoker) and protecting against exposure to the HPV virus. People with an HPV infection may not even know it. HPV can be transmitted through unprotected sexual contact. There is no treatment for HPV, but if the cancer is detected early, effective treatments are available.