Oral Cancer
Any malignant, cancerous growth of the lips, tongue, pharynx (throat), or oral cavity (mouth).
Why Employers Should Care?
- New cases estimated for 2009: 35,720 (25,240 men and 10,480 women)1
- Deaths estimated for 2009: 7,6001
- About 9 out of 10 people with oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers use tobacco, and the risk of developing these cancers is related to how much and how long they smoked or chewed.2
- Other risk factors include occupational exposures, solar radiation (UV rays from the sun) and pre-cancerous lesions of the lip, tongue, throat or oral cavity.
- The 5-year survival rate for oral cancer is one of lowest of all major forms of cancer. Only 59% of individuals diagnosed with oral cancer are alive 5 years after their diagnosis.3
- Treatments for oral cancer including surgery and chemotherapy are costly and disfiguring.
What Employers Should Do?
- Smoking cessation and alcohol awareness programs — Since tobacco and regular alcohol are factors in the development of oral cancer, worksite programs aimed at reducing or eliminating these factors could prove beneficial.
- Ensure that regular dental visits are included in basic benefits packages. Regular dental examinations offer an ideal time for early detection of oral cancers or pre-cancerous lesions.
- Consider screening high-risk employees at on-site health risk assessments.
Other Resources
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