
Every year, more than 21,000 men and 9,000 women are diagnosed with oral cancer. If found early, oral cancer has a nearly 90 percent cure rate, but by the time the disease is found, often it has already spread to the neck and throat. One in four people will die of oral cancer due to late diagnosis and treatment. Livonia dentist Dr. James R. Stewart Jr. wants you to know the symptoms of oral cancer and some of the risk factors for developing the disease.
Oral cancer most commonly develops on the lips and tongue, but the disease can also found on the cheek lining, floor of the mouth, gums, and roof of the mouth. Oral cancers are squamous cell carcinomas and typically spread quickly. Some forms start as a visible white or red patch called leukoplakia. (more…)