(By Dr. Joseph D. Lim and Dr. Kenneth Lester Lim, BS-MMG, DDM, MSc-OI)
THE DIAGNOSIS made in a dental clinic in 2019 was a shock. But it saved the life of Martine Clark, 60, of Malton, North Yorkshire, in the United Kingdom.
“I had a sore throat on and off,” she recalled to the BBC. It was in the winter so she wasn’t overly worried about it. When the symptoms persisted, Ms. Clarke asked her dentist to check the back of her throat.
Dr. Catherine Tannahill, her dentist, spotted a “strange lesion” on Ms. Clark’s right tonsil.
Ms. Clarke had surgery to remove the tonsils followed by a course of radiotherapy which has been successful.
Ms. Clark, who is recovering, wants people to be aware of the signs of mouth cancer.
Dr. Tannahill, according to the BBC, is urging people to be aware of the warning signs. These include long-lasting ulcers, red or white patches and unusual lumps and bumps, according to the UK Oral Health Foundation.
“Catching them early means that they are very treatable,” Dr. Tannahill told the BBC. “It’s easy to access and treat and it’s good if we can do that, because it is so much of a better outcome for the patient.”
According to the Oral Health Foundation, 8,772 people in the UK were diagnosed with mouth cancer last year.
In 2020, oral cancer mortality claimed the lives of over 2,700 people in the United Kingdom. Oral cancer cases have also risen 58 percent over the past decade.
In the Philippines, oral cancer is the 8th leading type of cancer in the Philippines.
According to the Philippine Cancer Facts and Estimates by the Philippine Cancer Society and the Department of Health (DOH), about 12,150 new cases in 2015, ranking head and neck cancer at Number 3 next to lung and breast cancer.
Studies consistently showed that tobacco use and alcohol consumption greatly increase the risk of developing a head and neck cancer.
Smoking cigarettes is the single largest risk factor for head and neck cancer. In fact, according to the DOH, 85 percent of head and neck cancers are linked to tobacco use, and the amount of tobacco use may affect diagnosis. Even secondhand smoke can increase a person’s risk of developing head and neck cancer.
Cancer is currently the second leading killer of Filipinos next to ischemic heart disease based on 2016 data from the Philippine Statistics Authority.
Lip cancer, one example of oral cancer, is notorious as a rapidly growing type of tumor of the head and neck, if it is not diagnosed and treated early.
It develops from abnormal cells that grow out of control and form lesions or tumors on the lips, creating thin, flat cells that line the lips, mouth, tongue, cheeks, sinuses, throat, hard and soft palates.
Certain lifestyle choices can increase the risk of developing lip cancer, including tobacco use, heavy alcohol intake, and excessive sun exposure.
Treatment includes performing a biopsy and imaging tests, followed by surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
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Dr. Joseph D. Lim is the former Associate Dean of the College of Dentistry, University of the East; former Dean, College of Dentistry, National University; Past President and Honorary Fellow of the Asian Oral Implant Academy; Honorary Fellow of the Japan College of Oral Implantologists; and Honorary Life Member of the Thai Association of Dental Implantology. For questions on dental health, e-mail jdlim2008@gmail.com or text 0917-8591515.
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Dr. Kenneth Lester Lim, BS-MMG, DDM, MSc-OI, graduated Doctor of Dental Medicine, University of the Philippines College of Dentistry, Manila, 2011; Bachelor of Science in Marketing Management, De la Salle University, Manila, 2002; and Master of Science (MSc.) in Oral Implantology, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany, 2019. He is an Associate professor; Fellow, International Congress of Oral Implantologists; Member, American Academy of Implant Dentistry and Philippine College of Oral Implantologists. For questions on dental health, e-mail limdentalcenter@gmail.com/PN
