Oral Cancer is on the Rise

I am a regular newspaper scanner.  I’m always looking for tidbits of interesting health information that I can use to increase my knowledge and help educate my patients.  I hit the mother lode last Friday when I read an article in the Seattle Times that summarized findings in an oral cancer study recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center led the study, which was the first to discover the prevalence of oral human papilloma virus (HPV) infection in the U.S.  What’s the connection, you ask?  HPV, especially HPV-16, is strongly linked with oral and cervical cancers.  HPV-16 was found in 1% of the people studied, which would translate to about 2 million Americans.

It is estimated that 80 percent of Americans have been infected by the virus (all HPV strains), and that 7 percent if Americans carry the virus in their mouths.  There are usually no symptoms associated with this infection and the virus in not likely to be transmitted by casual contact or kissing.  In fact, the study goes on to say that most cases of oral HPV infection can be traced to oral sex.  Luckily, at this time, fewer than 15,000 Americans contract HPV-linked oral cancers a year, but experts warn that this number could and probably will increase.  It is estimated that by 2020, there could be more HPV oral cancers in men and women than cervical cancers in women alone.  Oral HPV is more common in men than women (10% vs. 4%), smokers and people with a history of multiple sexual partners.  People between the ages of 55 and 59 were the most at risk.  Unfortunately, diagnostic techniques for detecting oral cancer are not as advanced or widely used as that for cervical cancer-- the Pap smear.

Here’s how your dentist and hygienist can help: since HPV-linked tumors are often located on the back of the tongue or tonsil area, a thorough annual oral cancer exam is extremely important.  There is new technology that can also help your dentist visualize these “difficult to see” areas.

Common symptoms of oral cancer include sore throat, hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, ear pain and swollen lymph nodes in the neck.  A red or white spot in your mouth that doesn’t heal in a week should also be checked by your dentist. If your dentist is concerned, you might be referred to an oral surgeon for a biopsy. A clear diagnosis from a pathologist, who will examine the tissue under a microscope, will then be available.

So, please, see your dentist every year for a cancer exam and report any symptoms right away,  because oral cancer discovered early has a very high cure success rate.  Keep smiling!