Mouth Cancer Affecting More Young People
Statistics have revealed that more young people are being diagnosed with mouth cancer. Mouth cancer is traditionally associated with older people, but figures suggest there has been an increase in the number of people under the age of 40 diagnosed with the disease.
Recent figures also confirm that mouth cancer has become more prevalent, with the number of cases diagnosed in the UK 40 per cent higher than a decade ago. Experts predict that around 60,000 people will be affected by the disease over the course of the next decade and half are expected to lose their battle against cancer.
Research also suggests that there has been little improvement in survival rates; many forms of cancer, such as testicular and breast cancer have experienced significant increases in survival rates, but the figures for mouth cancer remain stagnant, with a 5 year survival rate of just 50 per cent.
Mouth cancer is the fastest growing form of cancer in the UK and the British Dental Health Foundation is trying to combat the disease. We are in the middle of Mouth Cancer Action Month, a month-long campaign designed to raise awareness of the disease and dentists across the UK are offering free screening sessions and information packs to educate patients about mouth cancer and check for symptoms and warning signs.
The increase in the number of younger people affected by mouth cancer is believed to be due to the prevalence of the HPV (human papilloma virus), which is passed through sexual contact. The major risk factors are drinking and smoking, but mouth cancer has become more common despite the fact that fewer people smoke now than ten years ago. Poor diet is also a risk factor and patients are advised to limit their alcohol consumption, avoid smoking and eat a healthy diet containing plenty of vegetables to try and reduce their risk of mouth cancer. Warning signs of mouth cancer include slow-healing sores, lumps in the mouth or throat and red or white patches in the mouth.
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