• 10/26/2005
  • Ireland
  • Deborah Condon
  • irishhealth.com

Around 400 new cases of oral cancer are diagnosed in Ireland every year, yet the condition continues to receive little attention here, a major conference will be told later this week.

‘Oral Cancer – the Patient’s Journey’ is the theme of this year’s Royal College of Surgeon’s (RCSI) annual scientific meeting. Speakers will include Dr Joe Briscoe, a retired dentist who was himself diagnosed with the disease in 1989.

Oral cancer is cancer that occurs in the mouth (oral cavity). The mouth is made up of many parts, such as the lips, tongue, the inside of the cheeks and the salivary glands. It also refers to the oropharynx, which consists of the back one-third of the tongue, the soft palate, the tonsils and the back of the throat.

The disease is three times more common in men than women. Men who live in urban areas and who smoke and drink are particularly at risk. Overall, smoking, drinking alcohol and poor diet are major risk factors.

Both men and women are advised to attend their dentist at least once a year for a routine check-up. This allows for problems to be detected as early as possible. Like other cancers, the outlook improves significantly the earlier oral cancer is detected.

Unlike other cancers however, it has the advantage of having two professional groups who are trained to detect it – doctors and dentists. All dentists are trained to detect oral cancer and precancerous lesions. The vast majority of patients referred to hospital with potentially malignant lesions come from dentists.

At the conference, Dr Briscoe will be emphasising the importance of regular dental examinations, as well as highlighting how dentists are at the frontline when it comes to diagnosing the disease. The issue will also be discussed by other Irish and international speakers. The conference takes place in Dublin on October 27 and 28.