Every hour of every day in America someone dies of Oral Cancer. Oral Cancer is the sixth most common diagnosed form of cancer in the United States. Presently 30,000 patients are diagnosed annually with oral cancer. The 5-year survival rate is only 50%, accounting for 8,000 deaths each year. Oral Cancer risk factors include tobacco use, frequent and/or excessive alcohol consumption, a compromised immune system, past history of cancer, and the presence of the HPV virus. Recently however 25% of all newly diagnosed cases have been in patients under the age of forty with none of the known risk factors. Oral Cancer is one of the few cancers whose survival rate has not improved in the past 50 years. This is due primarily to the fact that during this time we have not changed the way we screen for this disease (a visual and manual examination of the oral cavity, head, and neck).
Dr. Stante is excited to offer the first FDA approved Early Detection Screening for Oral Cancer known as Vizilite Plus. Vizilite uses technology that has been proven successful in identifying precancerous and cancerous abnormalities at a cellular level. It helps Dr. Stante identify oral lesions at their earliest stages, and early treatment is 90% successful. Using a special light, Vizilite Plus is a simple, non-invasive exam performed once per year during your regular routine care visits.
Creating awareness, discovery, diagnosis, and referral. When it comes to oral cancer and saving lives, these are the primary responsibilities of the dental community. The most important step in reducing the death rate from oral cancer is early discovery. No group has a better opportunity to have an impact than members of the dental community. For more information please contact our office.