Name
Early Detection, Diagnosis, and Staging of Oral Cancer, How are you Preforming Your Exam?
Date & Time
Saturday, August 13, 2022, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Shannon Nanne RDH
Description

Objectives:

  • Understand additional tests for oral cancer screening
  • Be able to utilize adjunctive devices for oral cancer screenings
  • List causes of oral cancer
  • Discuss common sites for oral cancer
  • Complete a hands-on screening for oral cancer
  • Become an expert on Brush Cytology and Toluidine-blue staining
  • Discuss products for mucositis and xerostomia post-cancer therapies
  • Explain the difference between Chemiluminescence (reflective tissue fluorescence) and Autofluorescence (narrow-emission tissue fluorescence)

As a cancer survivor myself, the goals to save a life becomes a reality. Squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity and pharynx accounts for over 48,250 cases per year in the United States with approximately 9,575 deaths per year. Unfortunately, the diagnosis continues to rely on patient presentation and physical examination with biopsy confirmation. This may result in delay in diagnosis accounting for the fact that the majority of these cancers are diagnosed at a late stage. Studies confirm that survival does correlate with stage, making early diagnosis and treatment optimal for this disease. Your oral cancer screening should identify cancer early, when there is a greater chance for a cure. Many people have abnormal sores in their mouths with the great majority being noncancerous, making our screening techniques even more important. Any person with a history of tobacco and alcohol use or prior head and neck malignancy has a significant risk of developing an oral, head and neck cancer. The research on e-cigarettes will be highlighted here. This course will give you confidence in screening the oral cavity, lips, buccal mucosa, tongue, floor of the mouth, hard and soft palate, oropharynx, tonsils, posterior pharyngeal wall, base of tongue, neck, face, eyes, nose, ears, hypopharynx and larynx. If you are missing any of these or do not know how to screen for oral cancer in one of these areas….fear not because you will!!!