Although oral cancer is not as widespread as its cousins, breast, prostrate and skin cancers, it can be just as devastating if it's not first tracked in the earliest stage.
According to a local New Westminster dentist, oral cancer is treatable as long as it's detected early.
"It's a devastating disease," said Dr. Hedy Lam of Uptown Family Dental. "When you can see it visually, it's already in its later stages."
If oral cancer detection is too late, then removal of affected parts of the mouth is imminent and the only option, followed by chemotherapy.
"Imagine getting your jaw cut out and parts of your tongue removed," Lam said. "After the surgery, your quality of life decreases. . It can be quite disfiguring."
One North American dies of oral cancer every hour of every day, and it's mostly discovered in its late stages, when the fiveyear survival rate is only about 30 per cent. However, when it's discovered early by a two-minute exam it can, essentially, be cured because all of the cancerous cells are removed.
"Even for a treatment to other cancers, a lot of it is surgical by removing the cancer from the breast or prostate," Lam said. "The same thing goes for the mouth."
Generally, oral cancer is not as well known or talked about as other cancers, but that may be because it's not reported as much since it's very difficult to detect until it's too late.
"Although it's devastating, it's not a top five cancer, but it's still top 10," Lam added.
Uptown Family Dental includes the VELscope Vx Enhanced Oral Assessment system into its regular hygiene checkup, unless patients opt out.
"We use one on all patients, regardless of risk," Lam added. "Traditionally, you were higher risk if you were a smoker or alcoholic."
But, due to a strain from the HPV virus that research showed as a link to oral cancer, oral sex is also a risk.
"It's not invasive," Lam said of the VELscope, which is essentially a fluorescent light shone into the mouth. "The parts of the mouth that reflect the blue back are normal. Dark spots most likely mean cancer."
Lam, who graduated from UBC in 2009, said that despite receiving the training to use different types of the VELscope machine not all dental practices have one.
"It was a surprise to learn that they don't do this type of test everywhere," Lam added.
Dr. Michele Williams, the B.C. Cancer Agency's oral medicine leader for B.C.'s oral cancer prevention program, said getting a smoking or alcoholic habit under control is another step towards prevention.
"It's actually a skin cancer," Williams said. "It's about the sixth most common (cancer) in the world and in our community," she added. "Last year or so, about 3,200 people died from cancers of the mouth or pharynx."
About 85 per cent of oral cancer victims could have been detected by dentists earlier.
"Certainly, other cancers get press. They're more common," Williams said. "If you catch it early, it can be cured."
Early detection and prevention is what Williams' team is working to improve.
"Our team is working on leading the way in terms of information to the community and creating research for this program," Williams noted. "We're committed to early detection."
Essentially, if oral cancer is detected early, the cure rates rise with it.
"It's good to get the word out there," Lam explained. "Nobody thinks they have cancer because it always happens to someone else. It's good to have all of your bases covered."
For more information about oral cancer, check out the B.C. Cancer Agency's research from the oral cancer prevention program at www.orcanet.ca.
