• 4/16/2007
  • New Rochelle, NY
  • press release
  • Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (ww.genengnews.com)

The Food and Drug Administration recently gave LED Dental Inc. clearance to use its VELscope Oral Cancer Screening System to assist dentists in detecting cancerous growths that may be missed with traditional examinations, and also help surgeons ensure that all diseased tissue is successfully removed when excising cancerous lesions.

This approval is based on studies conducted by scientists at the British Columbia Cancer Agency. The studies reported cases that demonstrated VELscope’s ability to facilitate the detection of lesions that were not visible by an expert under conventional white light visualization.

Oral Cancer: The Forgotten Disease

Oral cancer is one of the few forms of cancer that have not experienced a significantly decreased mortality rate in the past 30 years. Deaths from oral cancer are higher than from cervical, testicular, laryngeal or thyroid cancer. It is estimated that over 34,000 Americans will develop oral cancer in 2007, and that only about half of them will be alive in five years. One American dies of this disease every hour of every day.

The traditional profile of an oral cancer victim is that of a heavy user of tobacco and alcohol who is at least 40 years old. However, the number of victims who do not fit this profile has been growing at an alarming rate in recent years. One reason may be the growth in the occurrence of the human papilloma virus (HPV), one strain of which is now thought to be a possible cause of oral cancer. Because of this, many health professionals are now recommending that annual oral cancer screenings be performed not merely on the traditional at-risk group, but on all adults 18 years-old and older.

Oral Cancer: Detectable and Treatable

The high mortality rate of oral cancer is largely the result of the late stage at which the disease is typically detected. Fortunately, the 5-year survival rate is estimated to be 80% or higher when oral cancer is detected at early stages. Annual dental hygiene exams are generally considered to be the ideal opportunity to conduct an oral cancer screening. The VELscope exam is intended to supplement the conventional white light visual exam and can be given by a hygienist in only one or two minutes.

“VELscope is uniquely able to help facilitate the early detection of oral cancer, as it is the only adjunctive device cleared to aid in the identification of lesions that may not be visible to the naked eye, such as precancerous or cancerous lesions,” said Steven Semmelmayer, president and CEO of LED Dental Inc. and its parent, LED Medical Diagnostics Inc.

“We have been gratified by the response we have received from dental practices about VELscope,” said Semmelmayer. “Their staffs appreciate the fact that a VELscope exam is easy to perform and completely non-invasive, while their patients are grateful that the practice is not only demonstrating a serious concern for their health, but might even save their life.”

About LED Dental

LED Dental Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of LED Medical Diagnostics Inc., which was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia. For more information, call 1-888-541-4614, or visit www.VELscope.com.