You don’t survive a disease like oral cancer without using it as an opportunity to raise awareness about it!

This page is dedicated to sharing facts regarding oral cancer with the hope that more people learn about this disease & importantly, get checked yearly at your dentist to detect any signs of oral cancer as early as possible.

First things first, the basic facts:

• April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month
• The representative colours for head & neck cancer are Burgundy & Ivory
• Cancer occurs when cell growth becomes erratic and abnormal. It tends to grow too quickly.
• The 5-year survival rate of oral cancer is about 50%.
• Oral cancer is twice as prevalent in men than women.
• Those who survive oral cancer have up to 20 times higher risk of developing second cancer.
• Oral cancer is the 5th most common cancer in males & 10th most common in females in South Africa.
• The prevalence of oral cancer for people under 45 in South Africa is higher than the global average.
• The number of oral cancer cases in young people without any identifiable risk factors is increasing.
• Traditionally this cancer is found in older men with a history of heavy alcohol and tobacco use.
• 95% of oral cancer cases occur in people over 40.
• 1 in 4 diagnosed do not have any risk factors.
• The last time statistics were done in South Africa on oral cancer was in 2017. This is a largely under researched cancer in SA.
• In 2017, 437 cases of oral cancer were recorded in SA.
• Biopsy’s are needed to confirm an oral cancer diagnosis.
• Main types of treatment include surgery followed by radiotherapy &/or chemotherapy.

Leading Causes:

• Smoking and alcohol consumption are strong risk factors for developing oral cancer
• The 5S’ are leading causes for oral cancer are smoking, spirits, stress, spices & STDs (specifically HPV has been linked to oral cancer)
• Those who smoke & drink have a 15 times higher chance of developing oral cancer

What to look out for:

• Oral cancer can easily go unnoticed as it can develop without causing any symptoms
• Oral cancers are difficult to see
• Often this cancer is only found after it had spread to another part of the body
• Early identification can lead to lower mortality rates
• Always look out for lesions, cuts and patches in the mouth that do not heal within 2-3 weeks
• Common symptoms are: ear ache, sudden weight loss, sores that don’t heal, sore throat, difficulty chewing or swallowing, numbness in the tongue.
• An oral cancer can appear on the lips, the lining of the mouth, under the tongue, the tongue, the gums, the area behind the wisdom teeth, the back of the throat, the tonsils and the roof of the mouth.

How to get checked:

• Late discovery is a leading cause for death in oral cancer cases
• A yearly checkup with a dentist is the best way to ensure early detection of any abnormalities

Oral Cancer Awareness in South Africa:

Oral cancer is largely under research & underfunded but is on the rise in South Africa. This is a primary reason why I find it important to spread awareness about this cancer. More can be read about cancer in South Africa at the CANSA website.

For more on my personal journey, please feel free to have a look at my other pages on this website. Feel free to leave any comments or questions about oral cancer/ my journey. I hope you found this page insightful.

Here’s to raising more awareness about oral cancer!

All sources for the above are available on request.