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Oral Cancer Detection-Cindy Carter
It's a new way to spot trouble.
Middle Tennessee dentists are arming themselves with the latest technology in fighting oral cancer.
That's important because experts say, oral cancer kills approximately 8,000 Americans every year.
That's one person every hour, every day.
Young and old, doctors are diagnosing thousands with oral cancer.
But a new screening process can help them catch the problem before it ever shows up in your mouth.
Danielle Stephens trip to the dentist could save her life.
Danielle is getting screened for oral cancer, and she doesn't smoke, have a problem with alcohol or is over the age of 40.
Dr. David Dickerson says it doesn't matter.
He says, "In 2006- 35,000 cases were diagnosed. Of that amount, 25,000 were non-smokers."
Dr. Dickerson says, from teens to senior citizens, oral cancer is a real threat.
Doctors now say the surge in cases in recent years can be traced to the Human Papilloma Virus, or HPV.
Dr. Dickerson says, "The key to oral cancer for any kind of cancer is detecting it early and this tool.. the vel scope is a way to detect it early."
Dr. Dickerson is using the vel scope on Stephens.
He shines the light in her mouth, to get a closer look at the soft tissue.
Dr. Dickerson says, "It fluoresces the soft tissue in the mouth and it looks green and anything that looks dark.. has a dark tint to it, is an excited cell."
The technology lets doctors identify those cells long before they turn into red or white sores in the mouth, which are often signs of oral cancer.
Danielle Stephens doesn't want things to ever get that far.
Stephens says, "Its Important to me for my health.. for my future So I don't get cancer and I'm glad that I have a doctor that provides the service."
Dr. Dickerson says insurance will now pay for the oral cancer screenings.
But if that's not the case, the cost is around $40 or $50.
Symptoms of oral cancer include sores that bleed and don't heal, swelling of the tongue and throat, or even tiny marks that look like canker sores.
If detected early, doctors say the survival rate of oral cancer increases from 57% to 81%.
Oral Cancer Detection-Cindy Carter
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