Oral cancer screening guidelines

The purpose of cancer screening trials is to demonstrate whether early detection (detecting cancer before symptoms appear) helps a person live longer or decreases their risk of dying from cancer. When cancer is discovered and treated early, there is a greater chance of recovery for some types of cancer.

What is screening?

By screening, a person can detect cancer before they experience any symptoms. In this way, cancer can be detected at an early stage. When abnormal tissue or cancer is discovered early, it may be possible to treat it more successfully. Moreover, it is possible that cancer may have begun to spread by the time symptoms appear.

Researchers are investigating which individuals are at an increased risk of developing certain types of cancer. Moreover, they investigate whether the things we do and the things around us contribute to cancer. Based on this information, doctors can recommend who should be screened for cancer, which screening tests should be performed, and how frequently the tests should be conducted.

When your doctor suggests a screening test, he or she is not necessarily implying that you have cancer. Even if you don’t have any cancer symptoms, you can have a screening test. The results of a screening test may indicate that you need additional tests to determine whether you have cancer. These tests are called diagnostic tests.

General Information About Oral and Nasopharyngeal Cancers

• Oral cancer and nasopharyngeal cancer are characterized by the formation of malignant (cancer) cells in the mouth and throat.
• It is imperative to note that the number of new cases and deaths from the oral cavity and nasopharyngeal cancers varies by gender and region.
• A variety of factors can increase or decrease the risk of the oral cavity and nasopharyngeal cancer.
• Most oral cavity cancers are caused by squamous cells (thin, flat cells lining the inside of the oral cavity).

Any of the following tissues in the oral cavity can develop oral cancer:

• The lips.
• The gingiva (gums).
• The front two-thirds of the tongue.
• The floor (bottom) of the mouth, under the tongue.
• The buccal mucosa (the inner lining of the cheeks).
• Hard palate (front of the mouth roof).
• There is a small area behind the wisdom teeth known as the retromolar trigone (the area behind the wisdom teeth).

Risk Of Oral Cancer Screening Tests 

Choosing a screening test can be a difficult decision. There are risks associated with most screening tests, and not all screening tests are helpful. It is recommended that you consult your physician before undergoing any screening test. A patient must be aware of the risks associated with the test and whether it has been demonstrated to reduce the risk of death from cancer.

There are a number of risks involved in screening for oral cancers, which include:

• Cancer Diagnosis May Not Improve Health Or Prolong Life

A screening test may detect some cancers that do not cause symptoms or are not life-threatening, but they may be treated if the cancer is found early enough. The process of diagnosing these cancers is called overdiagnosis. Most importantly, there is no evidence that treatment of oral cavity cancer would extend your life, and treatments for cancer, including surgery and radiation therapy, may have serious complications.

• A False-Positive Test Result May Occur

In some cases, screening test results may appear abnormal despite the absence of cancer. The outcome of a false-positive test result (indicating that there is cancer when there truly isn’t any) is likely to cause anxiety and will probably be followed by more tests and procedures (such as a biopsy), which carry their own risks.

• Test Results Can Be Falsely Negative

Despite the presence of cancer in the oral cavity or nasopharynx, screening test results may appear to be normal. Even if a person is experiencing cancer symptoms, they may delay seeking medical attention following a false-negative test result (one that indicates there is no cancer when there is, in fact, cancer).

• Misdiagnosis Can Happen

It is necessary to perform a biopsy to diagnose cancers of the oral cavity and nasopharynx. For the purpose of detecting signs of cancer, cells or tissues are removed from the oral cavity or nasopharynx and examined under a microscope by a pathologist. Whenever cancerous cells are reported by a pathologist as non-cancerous, the cancer is incorrectly diagnosed. Additionally, a cancerous cell may be misdiagnosed when the pathologist reports that the cell is cancerous even though it is not. Often, cancer is misdiagnosed, and treatment may not be provided when it is necessary or may be provided when it is unnecessary.

For more information on oral cancer screening, contact a professional.