Oral Cancer Research Paper

The American Cancer Society notes that the average age of people suffering from oral cancers is over 62 years of age. The vast majority of these cancers do not cause pain or discomfort in their early stages so detection is done through regular dental care. When problems are not detected early, the gums receded from the teeth and form pockets that collect bacteria. The gums eventually become sensitive, bleed, impact the underlying bone causing tooth loss, and end up causing disease.

As a dental nurse at the Eastman Dental Hospital I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to work with dental hygienists in the preventative management of head and neck cancer patients, ensuring long term oral health of the dentition and preventing unwanted effects of tooth loss after radiotherapy. Inspired by this experience and with a strong desire to help others, I decided to pursue a career in dental hygiene and therapy to make a difference in people's lives through oral health care.

As dental hygienists we are members of the healthcare community. That means that we have an extremely important role when it comes to the health of our patients. When patients present themselves in our treatment room, it is our responsibility to make sure we do not leave anything unexamined. We are professionals in the practice of identifying, preventing, and treating oral diseases. We do this by completing thorough extraoral and intraoral exams and being conscious of what to look for. One particular exam that we do is an oral cancer exam. As dental hygienists we are at the forefront in identifying this disease. In an article written by Nancy Burkhart, a coauthor of General and Oral Pathology for the Dental Hygienist, she states, “It is known that oral cancer is more likely to be detected in an early stage in the dental office than those found at a physician’s office, which tend to be at a later stage.” (Burkhart, 2014) This may be because dental hygienists focus more on the oral tissues than physicians do; or the fact that patients go to a doctor when it is already at advanced stages. It is imperative that we as dental hygienists know the signs and symptoms of oral cancer, as well as the risk factors involved in developing the disease and how it can be prevented. While it is important as a dental hygienist to identify oral diseases, it is more important to educate our patients on how they can avoid any potential abnormalities from becoming severe problems,

18. Which item would be most beneficial when providing oral care to a patient with metastatic cancer who is at risk for oral tissue injury secondary to chemotherapy?

The American Cancer Society is one of the most effective ways to learn about the different the various types of cancer. The reason why I chose this organization is because I recently lost a very dear friend to brain cancer. A lot of people do not know the signs and symptoms of cancer and I feel as if this is a great way to inform people about it.

As stated by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, “Each year, more than 30,000 new cases of cancer of the oral cavity and pharynx are diagnosed and over 8,000 deaths due to oral cancer occur.” (CDC). Most adults are unaware that they have periodontal disease or gum disease, this occurs because they do not maintain routine checkups with their dentist. When we insert food and other bacteria into our mouths, it affects our teeth and gums. We need routine dental checkups and cleanings throughout our lives. Dental checkups usually involve x-rays, cleanings, and the examination of the mouth.

The legislation addressing SB 536 providing for coverage for oral chemotherapy medications is of paramount concern to the people of Lackawanna county. I am currently a senior at the University of Scranton pursuing a degree in Community Health Education. Passing coverage for oral chemotherapy medication directly impacts not only my future profession by emphasizing how we as Pennsylvania citizens can educate and do more to improve access to cancer care, but also the numerous organizations, families, and most importantly the patients affected by this law. The patients are the ones in desperate need of approving the law now in order to save their lives and improve their chances of a healthier future.

Eighteen People a day are diagnosed with oral cancer. ("Facts and Figures"). Roughly 48,250 Americans will be diagnosed this year. As well as, it will cause approximately 9,575 deaths in the next year ("Oral Cancer Facts"). This is a big deal. Oral cancer is a deadly disease. ("Risk Factors") The three main factors that contribute to oral cancer are genetics, environmental factors/lifestyle choices, and chance.

Sometimes a tooth extraction may be necessary. Dental decay can take hold of a tooth and damage it beyond repair. If not decay, then it could be an overcrowded mouth deeming a necessary extraction to make proper room for your teeth and improve on your overall smile.

Oral cancer is a devastating disease. Over eight thousand American lives are taken by oral cancer and only a fourth of these patients do not excessively drink alcohol or smoke tobacco, which are the two main causes of oral cancer (The Oral Cancer Foundation). Survival rates for oral cancer could be much higher if the population would take precautionary measures to reduce their chances of being diagnosed with oral cancer. When the use of alcohol and tobacco are decreased, the chances of acquiring oral cancer are also decreased. By visiting the dentist at least once every year, new lesions could be found. Unfortunately, only seven percent of the population, who visits the dentist regularly, receives a thorough oral cancer exam(The Oral

The diagnosis of cancer upon a loved one can be hard, not only for the person diagnosed, but also for close family and friends.

Lastly, low income countries have 62% of the world population and there world health expenditure is 2%. By looking at this information “Evidence based intervention for all major oral diseases exist. But they are not available or implemented in majority of countries” (Beaglehole Pg 91). Please refer to appendix 5 and 6

Cancer is a disease that can change the life of a person no matter their age or nationality. Cancer can range from being life threatening to a low risk of death. Cancer cells are cells that do not follow the regular cell growth and division pattern. They go through cell division and produce rapidly. Cancer cells differ from regulating cells in the body because normal cells eventually die. Cancer cells, on the other hand, do not die when they should causing it to be very hard to cure cancer in your body.

Salivary gland tumors are a morphologically diverse group of neoplasms, which may present considerable diagnostic and management challenges for the pathologist and surgeon. Salivary gland tumors are rare with an overall incidence in the western world of about 2.5 to 3.0 per 100,000 per year. About 80% of all lesions are benign; hence salivary malignancies are particularly rare, comprising less than 0.5% of all malignancies and about 5% of cancers in the head and neck. (1)

The purpose of the study and final conclusion do not match. In the study purpose it was mentioned that, oral cavity lesions could be indicative of palpable disease and/or recurrence of myeloma however in the conclusion it was stated that, “oral cavity lesions can be the first sign of recurrence or progression of multiple myeloma”.1