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The identification of oral precancerous and cancerous lesions at an early stage allows for early intervention and minimizes mortality and morbidity. A combination of risk reduction and early detection should further reduce the incidence and improve outcomes. A clear understanding of the aetiology and clinical presentation of these lesions is key to effective management of these patients in primary dental care. We present a timely update on these issues, with an emphasis on the importance of early detection.
Clinical Relevance: The identification of lesions at precancerous stages or, at worst, early malignancy, is the key to better outcomes for our oral cancer patients.
Article
Head and neck cancer and, in particular, oral cancer, is largely overlooked, both in terms of the medical profession and patient understanding. Worldwide, cancer of the tissues of the head and neck is the sixth most common cancer and accounts for over 250,000 cases per annum. In the UK, oral cancer accounts for around 2% of all cancer cases and is paid little or no media or public health attention. However, around 40% of patients will die from their disease.
The epidemiology of oral cancer has been clearly outlined in a number of recent publications,1 but there are a number of important current issues relating to changes in the pattern of disease which will affect us all:2
Oral cancer is a classic multifactorial disease, resulting from the interplay of a number of factors, most of which are environmental in nature.6 Genetic predisposition plays a part in a small number of patients. The relative importance of these factors varies in different geographical regions or ethnic groups.
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