While some think this is a rare cancer, mouth cancer will be newly diagnosed in about 100 new individuals each day in the U.S. alone. Eachday a person dies from oral cancer every hour.. If you add the sub category of laryngeal throat cancers, the rates of occurrence (about 10,000 additional new cases per year) and death are significantly higher. When found at early stages of development, oral cancer in Waterford, or anywhere else for that matter, have an 80 to 90% survival rate. However, the majority are found as late stage cancers, and this accounts for the very high death rate of about 45% at five years from diagnosis, and high treatment related morbidity in survivors. Late stage diagnosis is not occurring because most of these cancers are hard to discover, it is because of a lack of public awareness along with the lack of a national program for opportunistic screenings which would yield early discovery by medical and dental professionals. Worldwide, the problem is far greater, with new cases exceeding 640,000 annually.

Oral cancer can form in any part of the mouth or throat. Most oral cancers begin in the tongue and in the floor of the mouth. Anyone can get oral cancer, but the risk is higher if you are male, over the age of 40, consume tobacco or alcohol, or have a history of head or neck cancer. Frequent sun exposure is also a risk for lip cancer.

Infection with the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus has also been linked to a subset of oral cancers. The risk of oral cancer increases with age as well, and a diet low in fruits and vegetables may also play a role in oral cancer development. If you think you might be at risk of oral cancer in Waterford, your doctor can advise you about getting the proper tests and then treating the problem. Many people may also be unaware that they might be at risk. A good indicator is looking for symptoms, which include white or red patches in the mouth, mouth sores that won't heal, bleeding in the mouth, loose teeth, problems or pain with swallowing, a lump in your neck, or an earache.

Oral cancer treatments may include surgery, radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Some patients may require a combination of treatments.


Oral cancer in Waterford - What to look for