Oral Cancer
by Trisha O'Hehir, RDH, MS
Hygienetown Editorial Director
Despite the best efforts of dentists and hygienists to
perform head and neck oral cancer screening exams,
many oral cancers go undetected until the tumor is in
an advanced stage of development. To overcome this,
clinicians need to use their detective skills, beyond
the typical head and neck screening exam. Discussions
with the patient might reveal any unresolved areas of
inflammation in the mouth and about the head and
neck that could be early signs of cancer.
The June 2009 issue of Hygienetown Magazine featured
Lynda Young, RDH on the cover, and her story
of oral cancer. A traditional head and neck screening
did not reveal her cancer. She had a persistent earache
that finally sent her to the emergency room and luckily,
the physician examining her remembered that an
earache in an adult could be a sign of oral cancer. With
only a 15 percent chance of survival, surgery, chemotherapy
and a positive attitude helped her beat the
odds. She lived until 2012, when she succumbed to
brain cancer, all beginning with undetected oral cancer.
This month we present the story of another dental
hygienist who survived oral cancer. Sandra Boody's case
was similar to Lynda, both cases undetected by the
traditional oral cancer screening exams. Sandra didn't
have the earache, but she did have an unresolved upper
respiratory infection and a swollen lymph node.
In retrospect, Lynda did experience a deviation of
her uvula, in the direction of the tumor and a feeling of
too much saliva, as the tumor pushed up, making the
floor of the mouth shallower.
In addition to the traditional oral cancer screening
exam, ask a few questions to determine if any simple
problems seem to persist longer than usual. This might
lead to earlier detection of oral cancer and better outcomes
for your patients.
|