ORAL CANCER

ORAL CANCER - Emerging trends

Emerging trends in the area of oral cancers include:

Prevention Since the early 1980s, incidence and death rates for oral cancers have been decreasing. Although cigarette smoking among young people increased significantly during the 1990s, recent data suggest that this increase has leveled off and begun to decline. If this trend has reversed, the chance of developing oral cancer will be significantly lower in the next generation.

Tumor growth factors Researchers have discovered naturally occurring proteins in the body, called growth factors, that promote cell growth. Some oral cancer cells grow especially fast because they contain more growth-factor receptors than normal cells. New drugs are being developed to block the effects of these growth-promoting proteins. Some of the drugs are now being tested in clinical trials.

Chemotherapy Researchers are testing new methods of administering chemotherapy drugs to develop more effective treatments against advanced oral cancers. For example, one study is measuring the effects of injecting chemotherapy drugs directly into the tumor, while another is evaluating the effect of injecting chemotherapy drugs into the blood vessels that feed the oral cancer.

Radiation Clinical trials are testing the effectiveness of new twice-a-day radiation regimens in treating oral cancers. Initial work in this area has found high cure rates with some of the new regimens when the cancer has been detected at an early stage. There has also been progress in reducing dry mouth, one of the most common side effects of radiation.

Additional resources

To learn more about oral cancer and the American Cancer Society’s programs, please call 1-800-ACS-2345 (toll free), or visit our Web site at www.cancer.org.

Additional information on oral cancer may be found at:

• National Cancer InstituteCancer Information ServiceToll-free number: 1-800-4-CANCERWeb site: www.cancer.gov

• Oral Cancer FoundationTelephone: 949-646-8000Web site: www.oralcancerfoundation.org

Bottom line

Most oral cancers could be prevented if people did not use tobacco or drink heavily. Quitting tobacco and limiting alcohol use sharply reduce any risk of developing oral cancer, even after many years of use. Many oral cancers may be found early by a combination of routine screening examinations by a doctor or dentist and by self-examination.