Douglas Encourages Oral Cancer Discussion
Michael Douglas’ controversial comments about the cause of oral cancer have encouraged people to discuss the disease and highlighted the fact that public awareness of oral cancer, one of the most prevalent forms of cancer, remains low.
Just last week, Hollywood star, Douglas, commented that in his case, oral cancer could have been caused by oral sex in an interview with the Guardian. Despite the fact that his comments were controversial, they encouraged debate and helped people to think about oral cancer, which is increasing year by year. What Douglas meant was that some cases of oral cancer are linked to exposure to human papilloma virus (HPV), which is spread through sexual contact.
Oral cancer has become increasingly common in the UK over the last decade. The number of cases has increased by 30 per cent and experts are predicting that this trend will continue. The worrying thing is that survival rates have not changed significantly in this time period, while survival rates for other forms of cancer are much better than they were 10 years ago. The main problem with oral cancer is that many are unaware of it and are also unaware of the risk factors, causes and symptoms. Many people are diagnosed when the disease is already at an advanced stage, which means that the chance of survival is much lower.
The NHS is trying to raise awareness of oral cancer in partnership with cancer charities and the British Dental Health Foundation. Recently, a campaign was launched at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trusts to educate people about the symptoms and warning signs of oral cancer. Symptoms to watch include: strange lumps, swelling in the mouth or throat, dark red or white patches in the mouth and ulcers that take ages to heal. Other symptoms may include hoarseness, a sore throat and frequent nose bleeds.
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