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Shedding Light on Oral Cancer
Your dentist asks you to open your mouth and say “Ah!” But instead of just using mirrors and probes your dentist shines a hand-held visualization device called a VELscope inside your mouth. There is no pain, just a bluish glow that lights up any cancerous and pre-cancerous lesions that may be difficult to see in ordinary light.
VELscope technology is not in wide use today but it may be soon. Although this will be a wonderful new tool for dentists to screen for oral cancer, there are important steps you can take now to reduce your risk and guard your health.
Why is screening and early detection so important? Oral cancer is not to be taken lightly. Because the disease tends to be discovered late in its development, the mortality rate is higher than for most other cancers. With early detection your chances of beating the disease can nearly double – from 50% to 90%.
How can I lesson my risk? Without question tobacco use (cigarettes, pipes, cigars, etc.) is the primary culprit responsible for oral cancer. Furthermore, alcohol, particularly beer and hard liquor, are associated with increased risk. When you combine the two your risk increases dramatically over time. Both tobacco and alcohol disrupt oral tissues at the molecular level, creating ideal conditions where cells can divide uncontrollably.
So, if you use tobacco products, STOP. If you have tried quitting and find that you are having difficulties, see your doctor. Your physician is there to help. As for drinking the key word is moderation. In the event you believe you may have a drinking problem; again, see your physician. There is no substitute for your health. By quitting smoking and limiting (or even ceasing) your alcohol intake you will not only reduce your risk of oral cancer but also help reduce your risk for many other kinds of disease.
Okay, I don’t smoke and I never touch alcohol, I am okay, right? Even if you don’t smoke or drink alcohol there may be other risk factors you may not be aware about. For instance the genes you inherited from your parents may or may not contribute to your future risk.
Exams can reveal changes in oral tissue that might be pre-malignant or even malignant. An early diagnosis and early intervention dramatically increases your chances of a positive outcome. Right now biopsies are the primary way to examine tissues that are considered suspect. Yet, soon less invasive screening methods like the VELscope will be a common tool in dental offices throughout B.C. Until that time, continue seeing your dentist for regular check-ups. Besides keeping your teeth clean, it is cheap insurance in protecting your overall health.
More about this article in the BC Cancer Foundation 2007 Report to Donors.
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