Flemington Online Announcements

Free Oral Cancer Screening Offered at Hunterdon Regional Cancer Center

March 27, 2012

It’s tempting to ignore that persistent sore in your mouth
that won’t heal, or that nagging pain in your mouth that won’t go
away.  After all, the physician or dentist will probably tell you that
it most likely will be nothing…but why take the chance?  Those symptoms
could be early warning signs of oral cancer, and getting an oral cancer
screening by a physician or a dentist could literally save your life.

       That is why Hunterdon Regional Cancer Center (HRCC) is offering
a free oral cancer screening to people 18 or older on Thursday, April
19th from 6-8 p.m.  The screening will be conducted by oral surgeon
Olumide Olawoye, DDS and ear, nose and throat specialist Anoli Maniar,
M.D. at Hunterdon Regional Cancer Center.
       According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), oral cancer is a
cancer that starts in the mouth.  It includes the lips, the inside
lining of the lips and cheeks, the teeth, the gums, the front two-thirds
of the tongue, the floor of the mouth below the tongue, the bony roof of
the mouth and the area behind the wisdom teeth.  Oropharyngeal cancer
occurs in the part of the throat just behind the mouth.

“During the free screening, we will thoroughly examine all of these
areas to check for abnormalities,” explained Dr. Olawoye.

       According to Dr. Olawoye, if you are in doubt about getting an
oral cancer screening, consider the following signs and symptoms.
?       A sore in the mouth that does not heal (most common symptom)
?       Pain in the mouth that doesn’t go away
?       A persistent lump or thickening in the cheek
?       A persistent white or red patch on the gums, tongue, tonsil, or
lining of the mouth
?       A sore throat or a feeling that something is caught in the
throat that doesn’t go away
?       Difficulty chewing or swallowing
?       Difficulty moving the jaw or tongue
?       Numbness of the tongue or other area of the mouth
?       Swelling of the jaw that causes dentures to fit poorly or become
uncomfortable
?       Loosening of the teeth or pain around the teeth or jaw
?       Voice changes
?       A lump or mass in the neck
?       Weight loss

 “The good news is, early detection offers the best opportunity for
successful treatment. In addition, there are things you can do to lessen
your risk for developing oral cancer,” said Dr. Olawoye.   “You
should stop all types of tobacco use.  About 90% of people with oral
cancer use tobacco, and the risk of developing these cancers increases
with the amount smoked or chewed.”

According to Dr. Olawoye, alcohol use also increases the risk for oral
cancer.  Other risk factors include exposure to ultraviolet light,
vitamin A deficiency, age and gender.  According to the ACS, oral cancer
risk increases with age, especially after age 40 and it is twice as
common in men as in women.

Space is limited for the oral cancer screening and pre-registration is
required by April 17th,   To register please call (908) 237-5445.