Source: www.komu.com
Author: Alyson Myles

Doctors examined hundreds of Mid-Missourians at the Ellis Fischel Cancer Center today.

The free cancer screenings were a part of national Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week. The screenings were a part of a walk-in clinic, so appointments were not necessary.

The National Cancer Institute estimates that 50,000 Americans have some form of head or neck cancer. Ear, nose and throat doctor at the Ellis Fischel Cancer Center Jeff Jorgensen said 85% of of head and neck cancers are related to tobacco use.

“The bottom line is we are trying to get people to stop smoking. And stop using any tobacco products for that matter,” Jorgensen said.

Norman Larson was one of the 150 people who attended the screening. He was a smoker during his young adult life, but was not concerned that he had cancer. He came to the screening because he was in Columbia visiting his mother.

“It was more curiosity than anything. Any sort of screening I think is a good idea espcially if it finds something early,” Larson said.

If a doctor did find anything suspicious during the screenings, the patient could make an appointment to come in for a more thorough exam.

Some symptoms of head and neck cancer are:

* A sore in your mouth that doesn’t heal or increases in size
* Persistent pain in your mouth
* Lumps or white, red or dark patches in your mouth
* Thickening of your cheek
* Difficulty chewing or swallowing
* Difficulty moving your jaw
* Pain around your teeth or loosening of your teeth
* Numbness of your tongue or elsewhere in your mouth
* Changes in your voice
* A lump in your neck