Oral cancer is a major cause of death
8/12/2004 St. Paul, MN by Michael Rohrer, D.D.S., M.S. The Pilot-Independent When people think about cancer, the mouth is not usually the first place that comes to mind. Breast, lung and prostate cancer are all forms of the illness we read and hear a lot about. But oral cancer is a major cause of severe disability and death every year, killing more people nationwide than cervical cancer, Hodgkin's disease, cancer of the brain, kidney, liver, testes or malignant melanoma skin cancer. While oral cancer is not much talked about, dentists and physicians would like to change that. Although those who use tobacco and drink alcohol heavily are at a higher risk for contracting oral cancer, 25 percent of people with oral cancer don't use either substance. One possible culprit is the human papilloma virus, the virus that causes cervical cancer, which also has been linked to the disease. Oral cancer appears initially in the mouth as small, unexplained white or red spots, as well as lumps, bumps, thick or crusty patches, or sores that don't heal. If a dentist suspects oral cancer, the dentist or an oral surgeon will take a biopsy of the tissue to look for abnormal precancerous or malignant cells. If those are found, treatment generally includes surgery to remove all of the abnormal cells. If the abnormal cells have already progressed to cancer, extensive surgery, often combined with radiation treatment, may be required. The best way to survive oral cancer is to prevent its occurrence. If [...]