Last year, nearly forty thousand cases of oral cancer were reported, and nearly eight thousand people died from oral cancer or the complications thereof. The National Cancer Institute estimates that a minimum of twenty-one thousand men and nine thousand women are diagnosed with oral cancer; most of them are over 60 years of age, although a growing number of younger people are being diagnosed.
Oral cancer appears in the tissues of the mouth or lips or in the back of your throat (technically called the oropharynx). As with most cancers, the tumor found in oral cancer isn't deadly by itself, but if left alone, it will send out cells that will settle in other parts of your body and create new tumors. Should one of those new tumors end up in a vital place like your heart, brain, or another organ, the cancer can become lethal.
The risk factors for oral cancer are several. Age is the biggest one, with people over 60 being the largest risk cohort. Very closely following age is tobacco use -- cigarettes, snuff, and chewing tobacco are all culprits. Less common but still widely prevalent is HPV -- the Human Papilloma Virus, a sexually transmitted viral infection that can take up residence in your tonsils and tongue, where it is believed to cause cancer of the oropharynx.
Less powerful but still influential factors:
* A diet lacking in multicolored fruits and vegetables.
* Overexposure to the sun.
* Chewing of betel nuts (a common substitute for chaw in Asia.)
* Overexposure to alcohol, especially in conjunction with tobacco or betel nuts.
By far the easiest way to deal with oral cancer, as with any cancer, it to find it in its early stages before it starts to spread. That's why we at Dr. Eric Johnson's office encourage everyone to get their mouths checked — and to get the ball rolling, we're offering free oral cancer exams (a $93 value) to anyone making an appointment in the month of April. Come in and get yourself checked — it only takes 5 minutes, and the mouth you save may be your own!
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