Early diagnosis is essential for the successful treatment of any disease. When it comes to cancer, early screening and detection using VELscope can literally mean the difference between life and death. According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, someone dies from oral cancer (mouth cancer) every hour of every day in the United States alone. While mouth cancer is often highly treatable and curable if found early, it often goes unnoticed.
VELscope to Detect Mouth Cancer
One tool in the detection of mouth cancer, which occurs in the mouth, lips or throat, is the VELscope, recently approved by the FDA. Watch our other oral cancer screening video.
“The VELscope is a machine that's been developed by the BC Cancer Agency, and this is a scope that we look at the oral tissue with,” says Dr. Leslie Gallon, a cosmetic dentist and HealthChoicesFirst.com partner. “For every patient there's a little extra cap that we screw on. There's a blue light that illuminates the oral tissues, and any areas that are suspicious will show up as a dark area.”
Who's At Risk of Developing Mouth Cancer?
Smokers, heavy drinkers, and African-American men have a higher risk of developing mouth cancer, but anyone can get it. It's important to undergo regular screenings for mouth cancer if you are over the age of 45, or if you have any of the risk factors.
“Because the diagnosis of oral cancer hasn't really improved in the last 30 years, there's a real push to increase early diagnosis,” says Dr. Gallon. “Oral cancer occurs two times more than cervical cancer, and also three times the number of people die from oral cancer.”
Get More Info on Mouth Cancer
Visit the VELscope site for more information, and find out more about mouth cancer screening.
Dentists in Canada:
Alberta:
Calgary Laser Dental Centre, Calgary
Ambiance Dental, Calgary
Pinnacle Dental, Calgary
Ontario:
Dentistry in Motion, Toronto
Rosedale Dental Centre, Toronto
Dr. Lily Lo and Associates, Oakville
Quebec:
Carrefour Dentaire de Montreal, Montreal
Dr. Lenny Slepchik, Montreal
Seaforth Oral Surgery, Montreal
Saskatchewan:
Creekside Dental Clinic, Saskatoon
Midtown Dental Clinic, Saskatoon
Saskatoon Dental Group, Saskatoon