Dear all,
I am a health psychologist working in collaboration with the head and neck cancer team at Guy's Hospital, London. Over the past 2 years I have been conducting research into the late presentation of oral cancer.
My research team is now planning a pilot of a one-to-one intervention for people at high risk of developing oral cancer to 1) promote mouth self-examination in order to detect lesions at an early stage;(2) increase knowledge of oral cancer(e.g. signs, symptoms, risk factors) and (3) encourage prompt help-seeking for symptoms of oral cancer.
We are currently working on the promotion of mouth self-examination and wonder if you could advise us on how often we should recommend such self-examination e.g. every day, every week, every month, every 3-4 months, every 6 months??
Do you have any suggestions?
Best wishes,

Suzanne

Welcome Suzanne, You know I am currently working with my Doctor in California and a Doctor on the east coast about this very thing. They are trying to decide what is the best way to go about getting the word out about ORAL CANCER. However most of the time it is the patient that finds the CANCER, tho they have no idea what they have found. Not until they find a Doctor that is. I was asked by both Doctor's on what would be the best information out there for a Oral Cancer patient. I am having a very difficult time telling them what it is we NEED or MUST do. I know that I found mine. Tho I had no idea what it was. So I think the best thing to do is to warn people that if there is something that hurts in your mouth to, of course, get to a Doctor right away. But you see this does not ALWAYS mean that they have CANCER. We don't want to scare the life out of people with every little pain that they get...I just do not know what would be the best plan of action on this...But I thank you for trying to do something,,,,something is better than nothing,,which is what is being done now....You know you can get a breast examination, pap smear, colon check, x rays of the rest of the body,,,but what do we do about the mouth,,,,,HELP!!! People should take very good care of there mouth. Make sure that it is clean and free of any bumps, sores, pain..Something other than a tooth ache that is...There is a HUGE difference,,,,trust me....Let me know what you come up with,,I am very very interested in it...VIcki

That is such a good idea! I have throat cancer, and the primary node turned out to be at the base of my tongue. Several years back a dentist mentioned that there was a small mass there (base of my tongue), but neither he nor I realized its significance. Now I realize had that mass been biopsied, I would not be going through what I have (the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes on both sides of my neck - I have had RT and chemo, and now receive nourishment through a feeding tube in my stomach because I cannot swallow.)