What Should You Know About Oral Cancer?
By: Jessica Stack | Sunday, November 15th, 2015 | Oral Cancer Screening
Sunday, November 15th, 2015
Oral cancer, like other forms of cancer can be devastating. However, if it is caught early, chances of survival and recovery significantly increase. This is why it is important to be informed about this deadly disease. Keep reading to learn more.
Oral Cancer Basics
Oral cancer includes a group cancers that occur around the mouth and throat. These cancers can lead to serious discomfort, permanent disfigurement, and death. In fact, oral cancer causes over 8,000 deaths a year. One of the main reasons that oral cancer is so deadly is that it is often diagnosed in the later stages where treatment is less effective.
Who is at risk for oral cancer?
Anyone can get oral cancer, but some people are more at risk than others. People with a high risk of developing oral cancer include:
- People who consume significant amounts of alcohol
- Anyone who uses tobacco products including cigarettes, chewing tobacco, pipes, and cigars.
- People who’ve contracted HPV (the human papilloma virus)
- People who’ve sustained excessive sun damage
- People with a family history or personal history of oral cancer
- People who are over 40 years old.
Healthy habits can help you avoid oral cancer, but they can’t completely eliminate your risk. This is why it is important for everyone to get checked.
Oral Cancer Screenings
Although oral cancer is incredibly deadly when caught in the late stages, if it is caught early (in stage one or stage two) the survival rate is 80%. This means that oral cancer screenings are essential and can be life saving.
Oral cancer is difficult to self-diagnose and in many cases the symptoms don’t appear until the cancer has spread and become more serious. Dr. Price offers oral cancer screening using Fluorescence Technology. These screenings can detect abnormalities and find problems before someone notices symptoms. Fluorescence technology uses a special blue light that can identify abnormalities that aren’t otherwise visible. The examination only takes a few minutes and is very safe. These screenings can provide peace of mind if you don’t have problems and life saving information if there is an issue. Take charge of your health—contact Dr. Price to learn more about oral cancer screenings.
