Cancer Is Always At Large

Last week, our team attended a conference for oral cancer. It not only reinforced for us  how important it is to screen patients for this disease, but it also renewed the personal connection I have with cancer.

A stage IV oral cancer survivor recounted her battle and victory with the disease and the treatments, and it made me think about not only what it means to be a patient who can suffer from cancer, but also as a care provider that has the right approach to recognizing and treating oral cancer.

A little over a year ago, my assistant died from a very insidious form of cancer called melanoma. It was a cancer that was initially recognized as a fatty, benign tumor on her belly.. There is a great likelihood that it was not properly screened and/or diagnosed in its early stages. She was going to suffer from this cancer regardless, but in my opinion, there could have been a chance to institute appropriate treatment earlier, giving her a shot at a longer lifetime with all of us.

Last year, my uncle was diagnosed with cancer of the tonsillar tissue, a legitimate oral cancer. He had a persistent sore throat. After talking with his dentist and ENT, he began the process of uncovering the mystery, and treatment was started quickly. Both my assistant and he went through chemotherapy and radiation therapy.  My uncle is doing well now, recovering from the effects of treatment, and it doesn't appear that he will have many issues to face in the near future. But the long-term future is uncertain. I began to process this before, during and after the conference. And I came up with a list of facts about oral cancer that every patient should know:

1) There is nothing certain in life.  Uncertainty exists in everything we plan, do, and have accomplished. The same is true for oral cancer--its occurrence, its diagnosis, its treatment, and its chances of recurrence.
2) Oral cancer is difficult to accurately diagnose. It is difficult to treat. It is difficult to endure.
3) Something that appears benign may not be benign. It requires follow-up study and specific treatment to accurately assess and determine the course of action for patients.
4) The prevalence of oral cancer has not decreased. Rather, it is likely that it will increase over time. Because of the larger presence of HPV, HPV-related cancers are starting to increase.
5) Physical (tactile) screenings for oral and pharyngeal cancers are important twice yearly at dental hygiene visits.
6)  Low-level light equipment (Identafi, Velscope) is essential to early detection of oral cancer, and must be a part of regular screenings.
7) Your physician typically doesn't have the training, experience, or equipment to perform the screenings, and in most cases, your dentist is going to be someone you see more often than your physician. Therefore, your dentist will have a better likelihood of identifying and treating an oral or throat cancer issue.

The woman who recounted her experience started a mission a few years ago to raise awareness for doctors and patients about oral cancer.  Her name is Eva Grayzel. Please go to her website, sixstepscreening.org,  and become better informed about oral cancer, its risks, and the appropriate care it requires.