This year, close to 37,000 people will be diagnosed with oral cancer. The most common type of oral cancer is Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Oral cancer will cause nearly 8,000 deaths this year. The five year survival rate is only slightly more than fifty percent.

Early detection of oral cancer is the key to long term survival. The death rate is so high due to late detection. Usually, oral cancer is discovered only after it has metastasized to other areas. The secondary tumor is often the first lesion detected, allowing the oral cancer time to spread and invade deeper tissue layers.

Patients who survive their first encounter with oral cancer have a twenty times higher risk of developing a second cancer. Ninety percent of oral cancer is Squamous Cell Carcinoma with the other ten percent being more rare types of cancer.

This year, 3.2 million dollars will be spent treating head and neck cancer in the United States.

Since early detection is the key to long term survival, it is important to have regular oral health evaluations. Dental offices preform visual screening exams. Many offer other screening exams for early detection, such as ViziLite Plus.

ViziLite Plus is an oral lesion identification and marking system performed in a dental office. ViziLite Plus is a painless exam that takes just a few minutes. It identifies abnormalities not visible under normal light. The process includes dye that can mark suspicious lesions. Depending on the outcome of the screening, the dentist will decide on what steps should be taken.

Are you at risk? Twenty-five percent of oral cancers occur in people who have never smoked and have no other risk factors.

You are at increased risk if:

• You are 40 or older.
• You are 18-39 and have used tobacco, had oral HPV, and/or chronically use alcohol.

Highest Risk:

• Patients 65 or older with lifestyle risk factors.
• Have had a history of oral cancer.

See a dentist for evaluation.

References

1. U.S. Government Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Report (SEER).
2. IMTEC. Having Problems with Your Dentures? IMTEC, 2005. Print.
3. Zila Pharmaceuticals, Inc. The Face of Oral Cancer Is Changing. Pheonix: Zila Pharmaceuticals, 2009. Print.
4. Zila Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ViziLight Plus: Oral Lesion Identification and Marking System. Pheonix: Zila Pharmaceuticals, 2007. Print.