Using Fluorescent Light To Detect Oral Cancer Earlier
by Jason S. Kasarsky, DDS
In a recent column I emphasized that oral cancer remains
a significant health concern and that it is one form of
cancer that has shown no rate of decrease...for decades.
Why is this the case, you may ask, given success rates
in treating other forms of cancer?
I think it boils down to this: Patients do not have the
knowledge and awareness that oral cancer exists and that
it is more common than one might think. This means dentists
and hygienists must become more vigilant in detecting and
evaluating abnormalities in the mouth tissue. With that
said, it must be stressed that detecting oral cancer can
be very difficult.
Although oral cancer screening has always been a routine
part of the checkup we provide in my practice, some symptoms
of oral cancer can be invisible to the naked eye. In actuality,
early oral cancer in the mouth looks like everything else
-- a simple injury or what might be considered a normal
change in the tissue. We might see a spot that is red or
perhaps white.
For this reason in my practice, and in practices throughout
the country, more and more professionals are embracing
what might be termed, Enhanced Clinical Evaluation. This
involves a detailed examination of the patient which includes
visual, tactile, and now tissue fluorescence visualization
screening.
Tissue fluorescence visualization screening utilizes FDA
approved technology like the VELscope System, which I have
recently incorporated into my practice. The VELscope System
was developed by the British Columbia Cancer Agency and
Vancouver-based LED Dental, Inc. VELscope is a revolutionary
hand-held device that helps us identify oral cancer much
earlier. The VELscope examination is a non-invasive, painless
procedure which takes mere minutes to complete.
Basically, the VELscope shines a bright blue light into the mouth to
cause it to fluoresce. This fluorescence helps the dentist to visualize
much earlier any abnormal tissue which may be pre-cancerous or cancerous.
It is hard to over-estimate the importance of early detection
of oral cancer. It is a very aggressive disease that is difficult to treat.
It has a high risk of producing second primary tumors. This means that
patients who survive their initial bout with the disease have a 20 times
higher risk of developing a second cancer. Anyone can get oral cancer,
but the risk is higher if you are male, over 40, and use tobacco or alcohol.
Symptoms of oral cancer include white or red patches in the mouth, a mouth
sore that doesn’t heal, bleeding in the mouth, loose teeth, problems
or pain with swallowing, lump in your neck, an earache.
The simple fact is your dentist is your first line of defense
against oral cancer.
I advise not only regular dental checkups but selecting
a practice that offers the VELscope System or another form of tissue fluorescence
visualization screening for early detection of oral cancer.
Dr. Jason Kasarsky practices dentistry in New York City (212-838-8230). His practice was one of the first in Manhattan to use an extensive array of lasers in daily practice. Dr. Kasarsky is founder of the New York City Center for Sedation Dentistry. He is a graduate of New York University College of Dentistry and a member of numerous professional organizations including American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, American Academy of Implant Dentistry, American Academy of Laser Dentistry, the American Dental Association -- and the Crown Council, a prestigious alliance of leading-edge dental teams throughout North America. On the cutting edge of the latest advances in oral care, Dr. Kasarsky has long advocated total wellness as a means of achieving optimum oral health.
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