Although a frightening statistic, oral cancer occurs more than three times as often as cervical cancer. One person in North America dies every hour from it and the five-year survival rate of 50% has not changed in the past 35 years. Smoking and alcohol increase the risk. HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) is directly correlated to oral cancer and spread through sexual activity, especially noted in our young population. The problem: Oral cancer is discovered in its late stages about 70% of the time. Unfortunately, that is simply too late.
The VELscope™ is an aid in the early detection of oral cancer. It can allow us to see abnormalities often before they are detectable by the naked eye. When viewed through the VELscope™, abnormal tissue stands out from normal surrounding healthy tissue. The VELscope™ scan takes about two minutes as part of a regular hygiene visit, involves no pain or inconvenience, and is completely safe. Oral cancer has a high cure rate when detected early.
What happens if we find something? Usually, there is nothing to worry about. Sometimes the suspicious-looking area can be caused by chewing the inside of your cheek or by irritation from dentures or braces. Generally, we will ask you to come back in a few weeks so that we can see if the area has disappeared, has progressed, or remained stable.
If the area has not improved, we may biopsy the area and/or refer you to a specialist. Should the biopsy reveal cancerous or pre-cancerous tissues, you will be referred for appropriate treatment.
Want to feel secure? During your normal hygiene visit, we clinically examine your mouth for any lesions that might be visible to the naked eye. We will feel your neck for any suspicious bumps or lumps. We now can go one step further and literally see beneath the surface to detect potentially dangerous growths which might have otherwise been missed. Could a visit to our office save your or a loved one’s life? Quite possibly. We care enough to go the extra mile and we want to discover any potential problem early!