North Texas Dentistry Volume 7 Issue 2 NTD 2017 ISSUE 2 DE | Page 17

THE SEVEN S’s
OF EARLY DETECTION
FOR ORAL AND
OROPHARYNGEAL
CANCERS
by Dennis M. Abbott, DDS
A
pril was Oral Cancer Awareness
Month. Each year, I make an
extra effort during the month of
April to participate in activities related to
raising awareness about and promoting
the early detection of oral and oropharyn-
geal cancers outside of the lectures I give
throughout the year. On April 15, I was
honored to be a part of one such event:
the Oral Cancer Foundation’s Walk/Run
in Dallas, Texas. Over the years, I’ve had
the privilege of participating in these OCF
Walks from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to San
Antonio, Texas; and at every event, I am
humbled by the stories of hardship and
struggles of cancer treatment as told by
oral cancer survivors and their families.
There are, unfortunately, many who still
believe that oral cancer is something they
will never have to worry about since they
do not use tobacco or drink alcohol. Such
naiveté could not be further from the
truth! Oral and oropharyngeal cancers no
longer affect only older men with a social
history of smoking and drinking. The
human papilloma virus (HPV) is now
known to play a role in the development
of many oropharyngeal cancers in men
and women from their mid- to late-twen-
ties and older. Everyone should be edu-
cated about HPV and know how to
protect themselves from the virus’ effects.
Here are some quick facts about HPV that
everyone should know.
n HPV is known to play a role in the
development of oropharyngeal can-
cer in men and oropharyngeal and
cervical cancers in women.
n HPV is transmitted via homosex-
ual and heterosexual contact in-
cluding oral sex, vaginal sex, and
anal sex.
n Infection with HPV is the most
common sexually transmitte d infec-
tion.
n The majority of persons who are
or have been sexually active have
been infected at some point with
HPV. Most people are unaware of
when they are infected.
n Unlike other sexually transmitted
infections and diseases, HPV can
normally be cleared by the body’s
immune system within six to seven
months.
n In a very small percentage of in-
fections, the virus leads to cancer
through a process that is not yet
completely understood. We do know
that effects of the virus may take
months to years to produce cancer.
n The approved HPV vaccines have
been shown to be effective against
cervical cancer in women and,
based on the evidence we have, are
believed to be effective in protecting
against oropharyngeal cancer in
both men and women.
Consumers should discuss the benefits of
the latest vaccine to guard against the
effects of the human papilloma virus
(GARDASIL 9) with their healthcare
provider. This vaccine, approved for
males and females ages 9 to 26, repre-
sents the most effective means of prevent-
ing not only cancers caused by HPV but
anal and genital warts as well. While vac-
cination is our best means of preventing
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