• 4/16/2006
  • New York, NY
  • press release
  • prnewswire (www.prnewswire.com)

This week is Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week and there is a new major league effort to help Americans get screened. This year more than 30,000 people will be diagnosed with cancers of the head and neck region. These cancers kill 7,000 each year, but, if caught early, they can be highly treatable.

Retired Major Leaguer and cancer survivor Brett Butler is teaming up with MLB.com and the Yul Brynner Head And Neck Cancer Foundation to encourage the public to see a doctor or dentist to get screened for oral, head and neck cancer. The Yul Brynner Foundation is sponsoring a web page on MLB.com, featuring a videotaped message from Butler and information. It also has a directory of sites throughout the U.S. that will be offering free examinations by physicians and dentists on Friday, April 21st. The most effective prevention strategy is stopping risky behaviors like smoking, using chewing tobacco and drinking excessively. More than 85 percent of head and neck cancers are related to tobacco use.

The nationwide free exams are for anyone and are recommended especially for those at higher risk. Log on to www.headandneck.org or ybf.mlb.com to find the free screening site nearest to you.