Health ministry to launch oral cancer prevention campaign

State health services announced on Friday the launch next week of an information campaign against oral cancer as prevention they and early detection can reduce new cases or improve survival rates by 80per cent.
According to the latest data from the World Health Organisation, the health ministry said, more than 73,000 new cases of oral, lip or oropharyngeal cancer were recorded in Europe in 2012, and more than 28,000 deaths. In Cyprus, 468 new cases of cancer of the lip, tongue, mouth, salivary glands, tonsils and oropharynx were recorded between 2000 and 2014.
The health ministry stressed the importance of prevention and early diagnosis of oral cancer.
“New cases of cancer can be reduced by 30 per cent and if oral cancer is detected at an early stage, the five-year survival rate is increased from 50 per cent to 80 per cent,” it said.
The possibility of oral cancer increases after the age of 40, the ministry said, while the main factor that causes this type of cancer is smoking.
“Clinically, oral cancer occurs in the form of a white or red plaque, as well as in the form of a wound or tumour most commonly in the tongue and the mouth,” the ministry said.
Oral cancer, it said, can be detected early through proper self-examination once per month, and biannual visits to the dentist.
The information campaign – organised by the state dental services and the Nicosia general hospital’s clinic for oral and maxillofacial surgery – is to take place between December 4 and 10.
On Friday Dec. 8, mobile dental units will offer free examinations outside the general hospitals of Nicosia, Limassol, Paphos and the old hospital of Larnaca.
Throughout the week state hospitals’ dentists will also distribute informative material on oral cancer.