Governments and anti-smoking organisations are keen to stop smoking. 70% of mouth cancer patients have a history of smoking. So it might make sense to use the risk of mouth cancer to deter smokers. But mouth cancer patients might have a view on how mouth cancer is presented. This poll seeks your views. You can elaborate with comments by clicking reply below the poll.

quote:

In Australia, Government health officials have enlisted special effects experts to create the latest anti-smoking TV ad campaign, which shows a woman undergoing the final stages of mouth cancer treatment.

"Smoking causes mouth cancer," says the woman - an actress wearing a prosthetic mouth. "If it didn't, I wouldn't be needing radiotherapy and chemotherapy."

As the camera pans out from her diseased mouth, she says: "If looking at mouth cancer on your cigarettes makes you uncomfortable, look at another part of the pack."

The camera then zooms in on the Quitline's phone number, which is plastered on the back of a cigarette packet, along with a graphic photo of mouth cancer.

A Quit spokeswoman said it would have been inappropriate to have a mouth cancer sufferer go through the ordeal of a camera shoot for the sake of the ad.

"The symptoms that she's displaying are obviously someone quite advanced in the treatment so it would be really unfair and you couldn't expect someone going through that to be in an advertisement," the spokeswoman said.

Expert medical advice was sought to ensure that the make-up and prosthetic mouth used by the actress were accurate.

Link to the full article here.

Link to the "New quit smoking ad video" The new quit smoking campaign features a woman with mouth cancer.

Results (27 votes counted so far):
Do you support the use of an actress and make up to present mouth cancer as done?
5	(19%)
		Yes.
22	(81%)
		No, a real patient should have been used.
Do you think that image of mouth cancer used is misleading (in a developed country)?
19	(70%)
		Yes
8	(30%)
		No
Do you think that use of this overly graphic faked image might undermine the mouth cancer awareness campaign to foster early detection?
20	(74%)
		Yes
7	(26%)
		No
See Poll Form

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Dr Vinod K Joshi,

The advert is a misrepresentation of the appearance of 95% of Mouth Cancer patients. Of the many I have met or conversed with, none look as though they have been in a fight like the woman depicted in the Ad. Why not show somebody suffering a red and painfully blistered neck like the majority of us have had from Radiotherapy. We all know that scare tactics rarely work and those of us with Cancer rarely gave thought to the didease before we got it. However, I would be far more likely to take notice of a "genuine" patient than a studio fake.

Hi guys, Well I think it is very misleading as you need to catch the Cancer at an early stage and at this time NO symptoms are usually that visable by bthe time it gets to the stage in the ad its quite apparant.


Psul

Hi Paul,

I work in the dental industry and have recently been helping to promote mouth cancer awareness. I have read your story on this site and found it incredibly inspiring...how are things with you?!

The MCF response sent today in a comment on the Daily Telegraph(Australia) article Most offensive ads

quote:

The Editor
Daily Telegraph

Dear Sir

RE: Most offensive ads
http://www.news.com.au/sundaytelegraph/story/0,22049,20465773-5006009,00.html

We strongly condemn the use of this ad despite the good intentions of QUIT Australia.

In a Mouth Cancer Foundation poll of our online support group members about this ad: http://rdoc.org.uk/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/55510549/m/9591050051/showpollresults/Y , our mouth cancer patients views are:
79% think a real patient should have been used.
86% think the image used is misleading and does not represent mouth cancer as it usually presents in a developed country.
86% think it undermines efforts at increasing awareness of mouth cancers and early detection.

Some comments:
"The advert is a misrepresentation of the appearance of 95% of Mouth Cancer patients. Of the many I have met or conversed with, none look as though they have been in a fight like the woman depicted in the Ad. Why not show somebody suffering a red and painfully blistered neck like the majority of us have had from Radiotherapy. We all know that scare tactics rarely work and those of us with Cancer rarely gave thought to the didease before we got it. However, I would be far more likely to take notice of a "genuine" patient than a studio fake."

"Hi guys, Well I think it is very misleading as you need to catch the Cancer at an early stage and at this time NO symptoms are usually that visable by bthe time it gets to the stage in the ad its quite apparant."

I hope your paper will do a story about this and counter this misrepresentation of the early signs of mouth cancers as it does the public a disservice and can lead to mouth cancers being ignored because they didn’t fit the image QUIT is creating by its advert. They should admit their mistake.

Best wishes

Vinod
--

Dr Vinod K Joshi
BDS(Singapore) DRDRCS(Edinburgh) FDSRCPS(Glasgow) FDSRCS(England)
Consultant in Restorative Dentistry
Restorative Dentistry Oncology Clinic
St Luke’s Hospital, Bradford
Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield
United Kingdom

Founder, Mouth Cancer Foundation
http://www.mouthcancerfoundation.org



I think this is fantastic Vinod! Please let me know if anything comes of this, I hope the daily telegraph will take note...I am working with the BDHF to craete more awareness of Mouth cancer and hope that our efforts will help.

I think people already have a warped idea of oral/head/neck cancers.

A couple of months after my treatment I managed to make an old friend's Christmas party and the (really intelligent)husband said he had been worried what to expect and had been nervous about meeting me again as he didn't know what I'd look like.
Whilst I know people can aquire a cut up appearance I was really surprised when I heard this friend say this to me. I wonder exactly what he had been expecting. Two heads maybe.

I'm not sure if the ad helps in this respect.
And as someone who has never ever smoked and often commented in no smoking venues to those who have persisted in lighting up polluting my air, I am furious that we are all to be lumped together and tarred with the same brush. For those of us who have never smoked it is one of the most offensive things to be associated with a disease blamed on smoking.

Hi. I have found this website very insightful and brutally honest. We are waiting for my husband's biopsy results (24th Oct 2006 is D day). I am very scared of the results and from what I have read here today I do hope that it isn't cancer as I don't know if I am going to be able to be the pillar of strength that my husband will need.

Keep us posted on your husbands progress vvanzyl and if he is diagnosed positive then you will draw some strength from the people on this site, and we are always here to listen.
Our experience with Cancer is second to none. You will find a whole range of advice by looking back through some of the posts or you can simply ask anyone of us if you have questions about treatment, side effects, or tips on medication and helpful products.

I was in Johannesburg just a few years back and had a couple of nights out in down town "Rocky Street"......... anywhere near you?

Wishing you all the best.
Steve.

Thanks Steve, will post the outcome. No, Rocky Street is in the Southern part of Johannesburg we live in the North closer to Pretoria.

I think that the risks of smoking should be highlighted in ads for the benefit of smokers who are in denial of the effects of smoking, however to imply that smoking is the sole cause of mouth or any other form of cancer is wrong. Smoking is a significant contributory factor to the risk of developing cancer which concurrent with the obvious and indisputable reduced efficiency of lungs which can lead to early chronic disability for life and should in reasonable peoples minds outweigh any pleasure derived from the practice; that is the message that I would like to see coming over. WE cannot dictate what people do only make them think of the consequences to them their families and neighours.

Once again Mouth Cancer is twinned with smoking ,last year,it was teamed up with binge drinking,and the people who have actually said to me "that it is o.k I wont get it, I do not smoke- never have and as for binge drinking I dont do that either "
Just how do you get across the fact,that whilst they are contributory factors they are not the sole causes? Toni

Hi Everyone

When I first saw this ad on tv (I live in Australia) I was horrified. At first I was a bit emotional just for the fact that I was shocked to see mouth cancer get a national mention.. but then as I continued to watch the ad I felt somewhat uncomfortable. To me it did seem mis-leading as I thought what person in their right mind would wait until any type of change anywhere in their body was that significant before going to the Doc's? I know for me personally 2 GP's & an ENT Specialist all mis-diagnosed me...mouth ulcer, herpes & food allergies(um, try malignant tumour). Two things for me were by the time I did have a biopsy done it was because the pain from the tumour was unbearable & first time for me was an evasive stage one cancer, so I cannot even begin to imagine what stage the woman depicted in the campaign would be & what a huge pain threshold she must have? (Unrealistic)

The fact that my cancer returned after 16months just goes to prove yet again that early detection is the key to cure & survival. Also my second diagnosis was more aggressive, stage 2 & invasive so apart from all of the referred pain in my ear & head it was not even visable to the naked eye! It was growing on the inside of my tongue. If they had taken a different slant on the campaign maybe by showing how small & inconspicuous a mouth cancer can actually present(even dysplasia)... then follow this image with the real patient after surgery & treatment showing the scars, burns, speech impediment & eating difficulties as well as the emotional struggle. I'm sure this would be alot more effective in demonstrating the true impact of mouth cancer & how hugely devastating it can be to a persons quality of life, both physically & mentally. I think it is great that QUIT were trying to raise awareness & I commend them for bringing it to the publics attention but had they spoken directly to survivors of mouth cancer themselves I'm sure they would have been able to portray their message in a more realistic way. Not just the before pics but the aftermath as for me personally it is the aftermath that has done the most damage & I feel showing this to the public would be more of a deterrent for smokers or for those who are thinking of trying it for the first time.

For those of us who have been diagnosed with mouth cancer who were not smokers I'm sure it will always be a bit of a mystery for most of us. For me personally I believe had I been a smoker & had to accept that the hell I have been through & have to live with everyday was hugely contributed to by my choice to smoke would be a terrible regret to have to live with.
Although I did grow up a passive smoker.. so to all of those who light up around young children or indeed non-smokers you may be doing alot more harm than you could ever imagine.

'It is alot easier to build a child then to repair an adult'

Regards
Kelley

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Kelley,

I'm also an Aussie and had similar reactions to Kelley- I was pleased to see oral cancer was getting a bit of a run on tv (as opposed to the more "glamourours" cancers, for want of a better word!), but for a young person who had tongue cancer and didn't need radiation- it freaked the hell out of me.
I was also concerned that my friends and people who know that I've had cancer would think that this is how I would look like if I needed radiation down the track. and I didn't realise that this woman was an actor- that really does make me angry.
Having said that- I'm relieved that the government here is taking more of a stance against smoking, but I can understand the frustration felt by those trying to push the early diagnosis and risk awareness campaigns. Here's hoping that either way the incidences start to fall anyway.

Hello All
It seems to me were all Shocked by the Aussie Ad, we like the idea but not the way it’s done. The big question that comes to my mind is was there any research carried out by the advertising agency? We all had or are carers of Cancer all got our own story’s, we’ve all had major treatment, which has at some time made us look less then pleasant (My Quote I still look like Rocky but that was 6 weeks after major surgery).

Nevertheless most of us state the same thing it started with a small bump or sore throat or something along those lines (My case a swollen gum). Not the mess the actress show’s on the Ad. If they done their research correctly they would know this and would have been far better promoting it, if in doubt ask the specialists. And if they wish they could have stated that Smoking and Drinking is a major contributor to Oral Cancer.

Hey but that why I’m not in Advertising. I’m in the real world. Just my thoughts.

Rolf