Information about Oral Cancer Screenings
By: admin | Saturday, January 31st, 2015 | Oral Cancer Screening
Saturday, January 31st, 2015
If you have a history of cancer in your family, it is very important that you are screened for it throughout your life. Screening does not mean that you will never get cancer. But, as with most diseases, the earlier you catch it, the more likely treatments will succeed. Tests and screenings are recommended for people who have a family history of cancer, and for those with certain lifestyle choices such as smoking.
These tests are important, obviously, for the patient, but also for scientists and researchers. Without screenings, there would be no statistics to show who is more likely to contract cancer and why they contract it compared with others. By taking the screening tests, patients help themselves because they find out what the chances are that they have or will contract oral cancer, and the dental industry is aided by the research and statistics provided by these screenings.
Typically, a screening is done at the same time as a routine check-up. The doctor or dentist will look for any lesions, patches of abnormal white cells (known as leukoplakia), and red patches (known as erythroplakia). If these lesions are left on the mucus membranes in the mouth, there is a chance they will become cancerous.
If there are lesions in the mouth, the dentist or doctor will use one of the following to predict the chances of developing oral cancer.
- Brush biopsy – The removal of cells with a special dental brush developed to collect cells from each layer in the lesion. A microscope will show if the cells are abnormal.
- Toluidine blue stain – The lesions are coated with a blue dye. Darker areas are or are likely to become cancer.
- Exfoliative cytology – A tool is used to gently scrape cells from the throat, tongue, lips, or mouth. These cells are scrutinized under a microscope.
- Fluorescence staining – The lesions are viewed under a special light. Normal tissue will look different than abnormal tissue.
Your chances of discovering oral cancer early are increased dramatically when you ask your doctor to do a screening during a routine checkup. If you believe you have a chance of contracting a type of oral cancer, do some extra research before you see your dentist so that if you have any questions, you will know what to ask.
