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- In the UK about 4,300 new cases of mouth cancer are diagnosed annually.
- Mouth cancer is the cause of about 1,700 deaths every year.
- The number of people diagnosed with mouth cancer each year has increased by over
17 percent from 1995-1999.
- Mouth cancer is more common in men than women.
- Mouth cancer is more likely to affect people over 40.
- In the UK mouth cancer is most common in Scotland.
- Each year there are 600 new cases and 200 deaths in Scotland.
- Smoking, chewing tobacco and drinking can add to the risk of mouth cancer.
- Early detection and treatment can improve survival chances from 50 percent to nearer
90 percent.
(Information from Cancer
Research UK.)
- Public awareness of mouth cancer
- Only 56 percent of people surveyed had heard of mouth cancer.
- Over three-quarters (76 percent) of participants were aware of the link between
smoking and oral cancer.
- Only 19 percent of people knew that alcohol misuse is linked to mouth cancer.
- People aged 25 to 34 had the highest knowledge about the links between smoking,
alcohol and mouth cancer.
- One recent study found that 25 percent of young people diagnosed with mouth cancer
were not among those at risk through smoking and drinking.
How can I prevent it?
A healthy lifestyle can protect against mouth cancer
Smoking is the most common cause of mouth cancer, and can increase your risk of
developing the condition by several times. Research has found that switching to
low-tar cigarettes does not help either as users are likely to inhale more smoke
to compensate.
The risk is the same for users of all forms of tobacco, including chewing tobacco,
paan, areca nut and gutkha.
How can I stop smoking?
- speak to your pharmacist about nicotine replacement such as chewing gum or patches
- contact a local group that can offer advice and support
Although much less documented, drinking alcohol to excess poses almost as big a
risk as smoking when it comes to mouth cancer.
In addition, because alcohol helps tobacco to absorb into the mouth, people who
smoke and drink to excess are up to 30 times more likely to develop the condition.
The important thing is not the type of drink consumed (e.g. lager, spirits) but
the total volume of alcohol.
It is recommended that men drink no more than 3-4 units per day and women drink
no more than 2-3. (One unit is equivalent to ½ pint of lager, a single measure of
spirits or a small glass of wine)
There are other things you can do to help reduce your risk of developing mouth cancer:
- avoid excessive exposure to sunlight to help prevent lip cancer
- eat green and yellow fresh fruit and vegetables every day - bananas, peppers, broccoli,
beans and cabbage are good sources of beta-carotene that can help to prevent other
cancers too
- get medical advice if an ulcer or white or red patch does not clear after three
weeks
visit your dentist at least once a year
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