| Dr. DAS |
Okay, so they're not your run of the mill glowstick, but it's a cool idea to be sure.
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"Glow Stick" Test Detects Oral Cancer Quickly And Easily
Monday April 21, 2008
CityNews.ca Staff
It's the sixth most common cancer worldwide and now your dentist can detect it quickly and easily in your mouth.
Last year 3,200 Canadians were diagnosed with oral cancer and 1,100 died from the disease which can affect the hard palate, lips, tongue, inside of the cheeks, teeth, gums and the flesh under the tongue.
According to the Canadian Cancer Society, men are twice as likely to develop the disease as women.
But a new exam offered by Canadian dentists could help you catch oral cancer before it becomes a serious problem. Treatment of the disease is 90 percent successful when it's detected early.
The quick dental procedure involves you rinsing your mouth with a cleansing solution. Your dentist will then use a ViziLite, which looks like a little glow stick, to examine your mouth for any abnormalities. If any lesions are detected they'll be marked with a blue dye so your dentist can document them.
Virtually anyone can develop oral cancer, but the risk is increased in those who smoke, chew tobacco or use snuff or drink heavily. Sun exposure to the lips can also raise the risk of developing the disease.
The human papilloma virus (HPV) is also believed to raise a person's risk of developing cancer of the mouth. Certain strains of HPV also cause cervical cancer.
Health Specialist Laura DiBattista will outline how this simple dental test works on CityNews at Five and Six. Until then, here are some facts about oral cancer:
More cases of oral cancer are currently diagnosed in Canada than cervical or ovarian cancer and more deaths occur from oral cancer than melanoma or cervical cancer.
The five year survival rate of oral cancer victims is 14 percent lower than cervical cancer, 29 percent lower than breast cancer and 42 percent lower than prostate cancer.
Up to 75 percent of oral cancers can be attributed to tobacco and alcohol
About 25 percent of oral cancers occur in people who don't smoke or drink
Risk increases with age with patients over the age of 60.
Courtesy of Wynford Dental Arts
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