JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – “Oral Cancer: It Spreads Faster Than You Think,” an innovative health education campaign launched this month, aims to save the lives of area residents by helping them learn about oral cancer.
Sponsored by the University of Florida College of Dentistry and the Duval County Health Department, the focus of “Oral Cancer: It Spreads Faster Than You Think” is to raise public awareness of this deadly disease – its signs, causes and prevention – and to encourage regular oral cancer exams to increase early detection.
Oral cancer is the fourth most common cancer in black men and the seventh most common in white men. It strikes nearly 30,000 Americans each year and proves fatal for more than 7,000 people annually. Yet nearly 90 percent of those whose oral cancer is detected early will survive.
The campaign, which targets area residents because of Northeast Florida’s disproportionate burden of new oral cancer cases and deaths, will include public service announcements on Jacksonville radio stations WSOL-FM and WJBT-FM. The early diagnosis message will also be advertised on billboards, buses and informational materials, including posters and brochures disseminated to communities throughout the Jacksonville area.
Oral cancer is a dangerous, disfiguring yet preventable disease. Early detection is the key to survival and most people with oral cancer caught in the early stages will still be alive five years after diagnosis. Compare that to a 20 percent five-year survival rate for those with a late-stage diagnosis, when cancer has spread beyond the mouth and neck.
Tragically, more than two-thirds of new oral cancer cases are diagnosed at a late stage. That’s why the “Oral Cancer: It Spreads Faster Than You Think” campaign seeks to drill home the message of early and frequent oral cancer exams.
The oral cancer exam is a fast and painless procedure performed by a dentist. It involves a thorough inspection of the mouth, back of throat and neck. Because early detection is crucial, patients should always request exams as part of their dental check-ups, even when they do not have symptoms. In addition, they should seek immediate attention if they experience any of the following signs:
- A sore, irritated lump or thick patch on the mouth, lip or throat
- Difficulty chewing or swallowing
- Numbness of the tongue or other areas of the mouth
- Swelling of the jaw.
For “Oral Cancer: It Spreads Faster Than You Think” campaign materials and more information, call Lindy McCollum-Brounley at the UF College of Dentistry at (352) 273-5782 or e-mail lbrounley@dental.ufl.edu.