This April marks the 14th observance of Oral Cancer Awareness Month. Yet there are still plenty of people who underestimate the seriousness of oral cancer, don't know the warning signs, and are unsure where to get screening or treatment for this potentially deadly disease. It's true that oral cancer doesn't have as high a profile as some other cancers - but thanks to the efforts of educational foundations, medical professionals, and celebrities like actress Blythe Danner and baseball superstar Tony Gwynn (1960-2014), it significance is increasingly being recognized.
How common is oral cancer? According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, some 50,000 Americans will be diagnosed with this illness in the current year. Five years from now, slightly more than half of those people will still be alive. That's one of the most troubling aspects of the disease: Its survival rate is much lower than that of more well-known cancers - like breast or cervical cancer, or Hodgkin's lymphoma. A major reason for those discouraging odds is that oral cancer isn't generally found until it has reached a later stage of development, when it's harder to treat successfully.
That's why early diagnosis of oral cancer is so important - and why it's vital to become aware of possible warning signs of the disease. The first symptoms are often relatively minor: a red or white patch or a sore on the tongue, lips or the inside of the mouth, that doesn't go away within 14 days; an unusual lump or mass in the mouth or neck; or difficulty eating, speaking or swallowing. While these symptoms are common and most often benign, they can also indicate an early stage of oral cancer.
Fortunately, dentists are trained to recognize the early signs of oral cancer, and we can often identify possible signs of the disease in its initial stages. We perform oral cancer screenings at routine dental exams, but you can also come in for an examination any time you have a concern. The good news is that recent advances in diagnosing oral cancer offer the hope that more people will get appropriate, timely treatment for this potentially deadly disease.
If you have questions about oral cance, please visit our website at www.myparkdental.com, or contact us here, or schedule an appointment for a consultation.
