• 11/8/2004
  • Newcastle, UK
  • Louise Redvers
  • The Evening Chronicle

Today is the start of mouth cancer awareness week. Louise Redvers finds out about a rarely-mentioned condition that claims a life in the UK every five hours.

Brenda Brady was diagnosed with mouth cancer in January this year. Surgery to remove the tumour has claimed part of her jaw and tongue and left her surviving on pureed foods.

At 57, mum-of-two Brenda has had to re-learn how to speak and swallow and still finds both difficult.

But despite her ordeal, the retired secretary, who lives in Whitley Bay with her husband John, 59, is refusing to let things get to her.

Joking about her operations, she said: “I’m like a patchwork quilt. I’ve had bone from my leg inserted into my jaw and then soft tissue from my arm to replace half my tongue.

“After that they took skin from my thigh to replace where they had taken tissue from my arm, it just goes on and on. I’m back in next week for more work on my tongue.

“But my family have been incredibly supportive and my last biopsy results were very positive so that keeps me going.”

Brenda thinks her mouth cancer developed following other problems she’s had with her saliva glands. The tumour was identified in an operation last year and confirmed as cancer in January.

“I’ve never smoked and I only drink a bit socially so I think it’s come from the problems with my saliva glands.

“I had a very aggressive form and it spread through my jaw and tongue within weeks. The good thing is they said my form of cancer wouldn’t respond to radiotherapy so I’ve not had to have it, which is fortunate because the side effects can be nasty.”

Brenda is now determined to raise awareness of mouth cancer.

As well as setting up a website to inform people about the illness, she is also arranging a coffee morning and hoping to design some Christmas cards.

“Mouth cancer has such a low profile compared to other cancers,” she said, “So it’s important more people get to know more about it.”

Sunderland dentist Pat Kilkey also wants more people to be aware of the condition.

He said: “It used to be that we’d see mouth cancer in people who chewed tobacco, mining communities for instance, but now we’re seeing people as young as 18 being diagnosed.

“That has a lot to do with students drinking more because the combination of smoking and drinking is a big risk factor for mouth cancer.

“Other risks are poor oral hygiene, and people who don’t look after their mouth are also more likely to ignore symptoms, which is the worst thing you can do.

“Mouth cancer spreads very quickly so it’s important you catch it as early as possible.

“The longer mouth cancer is left undetected, the harder it is to treat.”

Pat, the dental adviser to Sunderland Teaching Primary Care Trust, who sees patients at a practice on Easington Lane, said mouth cancer lesions can look like ulcers but they won’t heal up.

“It’s important to know how long the lesions have been inside your mouth.

“Is it just an ulcer, or has it been there longer but you’ve been ignoring it? Dentists are the main people to pick up symptoms of mouth cancer, but people should also be aware of changes on their own and make sure they get them checked out if they’re worried.”

Speedy disease on the rise

* In the UK, mouth cancer kills one person every five hours.

* Around 4,300 new cases of mouth cancer are diagnosed every year.

* The number of mouth cancer cases is growing faster than any other cancer. Between 1995-99 the number of new cases increased by 17%.

* Mouth cancer is more common in men than women, though the gap is closing.

* Mouth cancer is more likely to affect people over 40.

* Smoking, chewing tobacco and drinking can add to the risk of mouth cancer.

* People who drink and smoke at the same time are up to 30 times more likely to develop mouth cancer.

* Early detection and treatment can improve survival chances from 50% to nearer 90%.