As with cancer in other areas of the body, detecting oral cancer early on remains critical to preventing it from spreading.
The five-year survival rate of patients in whom oral cancer was detected before it metastasized stands at 80 per cent, while patients with distant metastases survive at a rate of 20 per cent over the same period of time.1
The goal of early detection is to identify oral cancer before it becomes malignant or before it spreads to other areas of the body. Because they are responsible for their patients’ oral health, dentists retain an extremely important role in detecting oral cancer early on.
By understanding the risk factors, indications, and examination procedures for oral cancer, dentists can recommend potentially life-saving diagnostic surgery. By realising where they fit into the process of detecting oral cancer, dentists can potentially save patients’ lives.
READ MORE: Early Oral Cancer article
