New report urges greater awareness about mouth cancer.

Dental Tribune International

Wed. 27 November 2024

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LONDON, England: A new report published by the Oral Health Foundation has highlighted some concerning figures surrounding both the prevalence of mouth cancer and the public’s understanding of the disease and its symptoms. Released as part of November’s Mouth Cancer Action Month, the research not only reveals a worrying lack of knowledge about how these conditions manifest but also argues strongly for the government to address the situation through a targeted awareness campaign.

In terms of the frequency of mouth cancer among the general population, the latest report from the Oral Health Foundation shows that there were 10,825 new cases of mouth cancer in the UK last year, an increase of 38% over the last decade and 133% over the last two decades. Sadly, of those people diagnosed with the condition, 3,637 lost their lives.

Besides highlighting these highly important statistics concerning prevalence, it was a distinct lack of public awareness and understanding about the disease that marked a crucial aspect of the report. Although an encouraging 77% of adults across the UK appreciate the possibility of developing mouth cancer, public understanding about the symptoms and causes was poor. Awareness of the major signs and symptoms of mouth cancer is as low as 20%, and awareness of the major risk factors of mouth cancer is only 8%.

The report also shows a significant lack of awareness of key early warning signs. Only 43% of UK adults are aware that mouth ulcers lasting more than three weeks could indicate mouth cancer. Even fewer recognise the risks associated with lumps or swelling in the head, neck or mouth (42%), or with red patches (38%) or white patches (32%) in the mouth, and 24% are unable to identify any symptoms.

To address this situation, the report insists upon a targeted government awareness campaign on mouth cancer. In the British Dental Journal, Dr Nigel Carter, OBE, chief executive of the Oral Health Foundation, expressed deep concern regarding the figures in the report and stressed the urgent need for a government-funded mouth cancer public awareness campaign.

He said, “The statistics paint a worrying picture. Without a significant awareness drive, people will continue to ignore the early warning signs, resulting in late-stage diagnoses that drastically reduce survival chances. Immediate action is vital to save lives.”

Dr Carter emphasised: “We need to break the stigma and misconceptions surrounding mouth cancer, ensuring people understand that it can affect anyone. Awareness and education are our strongest tools, empowering the public to recognise symptoms and seek medical advice promptly before it's too late.”