There are a number of different types of cancer that people regularly get screened for. The most common of these are breast cancer, prostate cancer and colorectal cancer. However, one of the leading fatal forms of cancer is a type that we don't normally screen for ... in fact, it's one that we almost never hear about at all!
That cancer is oral cancer (or cancer of the mouth). It's a highly fatal form of cancer:
"Nationally, statistics show that the death rate from these cancers is higher than those of cervical cancer, Hodgkin's lymphoma, testicular cancer, and thyroid and malignant melanoma." (source)
However, the reason that it's killing so many people isn't because it's some sort of rogue cancer that can't be stopped. Instead, it's because people don't identify and treat it in the early stages. Like with any other disease, early detection can mean the difference between life and death with oral cancer.
If you're concerned that this may be something that you're at risk for, you'll want to look out for a few common signs that people with this disease typically overlook. Those signs are a persistent sore throat, a mass in the neck and white or red patches in the mouth. Ask your doctor or dentist if you have any concerns.
Question of the Day: What do you think is the reason that we don't hear about this leading killer cancer?
