Introduction:
If you could save 7,200 lives this year, would you?
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Oral cancer is often referred to by its more common names: Mouth cancer, tongue cancer, and throat cancer.
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Approximately 35,000 people in the US were newly diagnosed with oral cancer in 2008 (3 times as many victims as cervical cancer). This includes about 100 new individuals each day in the US alone. Of these, only half will be alive in 5 years.
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In 2008 oral cancer caused over 8,000 deaths, killing roughly 1 person per hour, 24 hours per day.
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Early diagnosis and treatment could have saved 90%, or 7,200 of these lives!
Fortunately, there’s a simple 2-5 minute diagnostic screening: The screening with a state-of-the-art VELscope® system dramatically increases our odds of discovering oral cancer early rather than late. The screening is painless and non-invasive with no rinses or stains required. The VELscope® System Handpiece emits a safe blue light into the oral cavity, enabling the clinician to immediately differentiate between normal and abnormal tissue.
Smile Sensations Dental Practice has invested in the VELscope® device, and offers free screenings.
If you could save 7,200 lives this year, would you?
Please contact Smile Sensations Dental Practice to schedule your free VELscope® oral cancer screening.
In addition, forward this email to others you care about.
The importance of early oral cancer diagnosis:
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The death rate is particularly high not because oral cancer is hard to discover or diagnose, but due to the cancer being routinely discovered late in its development.
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In its early stages it may not be noticed by the patient, as it can frequently prosper without producing readily recognized pain or symptoms. The changes that lead to oral cancer may not be visible to the naked eye until the disease progresses above the basal membrane to the surface.
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The good news is however, that your dentist or doctor can see or feel the precursor tissue changes, or the actual cancer while it is still very small, or in its earliest stages.
If caught early, 90% of cases are curable. Oral cancer is often curable when detection, diagnosis, and treatment are performed early.
Public awareness coupled with a national program for opportunistic screenings would yield early discovery and around 7,200 lives saved annually!
Who is most at risk of oral cancer?
There are two distinct pathways by which most people come to oral cancer:
1) Through the use of tobacco and alcohol: At least 75% of those diagnosed are tobacco users. When you combine tobacco with heavy use of alcohol, your risk is significantly increased, as the two act synergistically. Those who both smoke and drink, have a 15 times greater risk of developing oral cancer than others.
2) Through exposure to the HPV-16 virus (human papilloma virus version 16): This is the same virus which is responsible for the vast majority of cervical cancers in women. HPV is a common, sexually transmitted virus, which infects about 40 million Americans.
Age is frequently named as a risk factor for oral cancer, as most of the time it occurs in those over the age of 40. However, 25% of newly diagnosed cases of oral cancer do not fit the high-risk profile. Therefore, all patients over the age of 18 should be screened annually for oral cancer.
Three important oral cancer questions for everyone:
1) Have you had a thorough visual and manual examination? A protocol for a comprehensive oral cancer screening includes a systematic visual examination of all the soft tissues of the mouth, including manual extension of the tongue to examine its base, a bi-manual palpation of the floor of the mouth, and a digital examination of the borders of the tongue, and the lymph nodes surrounding the oral cavity and in the neck. New diagnostic aids, including lights, dyes, and other techniques are beginning to appear on the marketplace. While making the discovery process more effective, it is still possible to do a comprehensive examination through a proper visual and tactile process.
2) How long has the suspect condition been present? Any condition that has existed for 14 days or more without resolution should be considered suspect and worthy of further diagnostic procedures or referral. Two of the most prevalent lesions that mimic oral cancer, are the herpes simplex ulceration, and aphthous ulcerations, each resolving of their own accord in approximately 10-14 days.
3) Does your diet reduce your risk? There are studies which indicate a diet low in fruits and vegetables could be a risk factor, and that conversely, one high in these foods may have a protective value against many types of cancer.
Stephen Wolpo, D.D.S.
Smile Sensations Dental Practice
