New Oral Cancer Trend: Younger Faces

New Oral Cancer Trend: Younger Faces

Spread of Sixth Most Common Cancer Continues to Rise; Delta

Dental Looks to Educate and Support Early Detection Research

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., April 17, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Oral cancer is

spreading. What was once considered an old man’s disease is now

crossing over into younger and younger generations. Why? As the world’s

sixth most common cancer today, 75 percent of oral cancer is related to

lifestyle choices. Furthermore, according to the Oral Cancer

Foundation, what used to affect six men for every woman, oral cancer

now affects one woman to every two men, indicating an increase of the

disease among females. With approximately 40,000 to 50,000 people

nationwide diagnosed annually, only around 50 percent of those will be

alive in five years.

“Those aren’t good odds,” said Dr. Jed Jacobson, chief science officer

at Delta Dental of New Mexico. “But even with a statistic like that,

there is good news and it’s all about prevention and early detection.”

Delta Dental of New Mexico is taking steps to help educate and spread

awareness about the old and new risk factors associated with oral

cancer. The company has just released a new oral cancer video which is

the third of a five-part video series focusing on various oral

health-related topics. In addition to this, Delta Dental continues to

allocate research dollars to help bring a simple spit test that can

help detect oral cancer even before symptoms appear to patients in

dental offices. All of these steps look to boost early detection and

prevention efforts.

“If oral cancer is detected early, the survival rate increases to

around 80 percent,” said Jacobson. “Yet, even with early detection

efforts, individuals need to do their part in decreasing their chances

of getting oral cancer by making more educated choices.”

Although smoking still leads the pack as the primary cause of oral

cancer, other factors such as the use of chewing tobacco, excessive

drinking and even prolonged sun exposure can result in a positive

diagnosis. Yet, a newer culprit has also begun to take center stage.

More recent trends now show a rise in oral cancer among younger

populations, under the age of 40, because of the human papilloma virus,

or HPV.

In fact, a study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology where

researchers tracked the HPV status of 271 oral cancer patients found

that the incidence of HPV-positive cancers increased by 225 percent

between 1984 and 2004. More recently, according to the American Cancer

Society, HPV DNA is now found in about two out of three oral cancers

diagnosed each year.

Common symptoms of oral cancer include:

• Loose teeth
• Unresolved sore in the mouth that continues to bleed
• Spot of tissue in the mouth that is white or red in color
• Difficulty swallowing or chewing
• A lump found in the cheek, mouth, or neck
• Persistent earache
• Numbness in the mouth, neck, or face

“Although HPV-positive oral cancers are typically caught in later

stages, the upside is that it is not as aggressive as other forms of

oral cancer,” said Jacobson. “Individuals diagnosed with HPV-positive

oral cancer respond better to radiation treatment and typically have

better survival rates.”

It’s estimated that HPV-positive patients have an approximate 60

percent reduction in their risk of death after their oral cancer

diagnosis when compared to HPV-negative patients.

“The key to all of this though is people simply need to be more aware

of the risk factors associated with this disease and need to remember

that by making certain life choices, they may be putting themselves at

a much higher risk,” said Jacobson. “It’s also important to note that

certain types of oral cancer could be the most costliest to treat. This

should give everyone even more reason to see their dentist on a regular

basis to help in the fight against this growing disease.”

About Delta Dental of New Mexico

Delta Dental of New Mexico, with its affiliates in Arkansas, Indiana,

Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio and Tennessee collectively are

among the largest dental plan administrators in the nation. In 2011,

the enterprise paid out $2.5 billion for dental treatment for nearly

10.4 million enrollees. Offices are located in Albuquerque, N.M.;

Sherwood and Little Rock, Ark.; Indianapolis, Ind.; Louisville, Ky.;

Okemos and Farmington Hills, Mich.; Raleigh and Charlotte, N.C.;

Columbus and Cleveland, Ohio; and Nashville, Knoxville and Memphis,

Tenn.

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