MOUTH CANCER CASES HIT NEW RECORD IN ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND

Cases of mouth cancer have reached a record high in England and Scotland. Last year, there were more than 10,000 new cases.

Mouth cancer has increased by 38% in the past decade and by 133% compared with 20 years ago. Last year, more than 3,500 people in the UK lost their lives to mouth cancer.

Several factors are probably behind this increase in mouth cancer cases. Changing lifestyle habits, particularly those related to known risk factors, play a significant role.

Tobacco use, including smoking and chewing tobacco, remains a primary cause, with around two-thirds of cases directly linked to smoking. Excessive alcohol consumption is another major contributor, responsible for about one-third of all mouth cancers.

The combined effects of heavy drinking and smoking can increase the risk by a staggering 30 times.

Additionally, the human papillomavirus (HPV) has emerged as an increasingly important risk factor, particularly for oropharyngeal cancers, a type of mouth cancer affecting the throat. Oral HPV is thought to mainly spread through oral sex.

How to spot it

Mouth cancer can be effectively treated if caught early enough. Common symptomsinclude persistent mouth ulcers that don’t healwithin three weeks, unexplained lumps in the mouth or neck area, white or red patches in the mouth or throat, and difficulty swallowing or persistent hoarseness.

Regular dental check-ups and self-examinations can aid in early detection.

Source: https://www.dentalhealth.org/thestateofmouthcancer

Mouth Cancer Action Month: The State of Mouth Cancer UK Report 2020/21