ViziLite Plus as part of a comprehensive oral screening
Oral cancer is one of the most curable diseases when it's caught early. That's why the ViziLite Plus exam has been developed. ViziLite Plus uses technology that has proven successful in identifying soft tissue abnormalities in other areas of the body. A ViziLite Plus exam is particularly important if you are at increased risk for developing oral cancer.
The ViziLite Plus exam can help your dentist or hygienist identify abnormal tissue, that might develop into oral cancer.
An annual ViziLite Plus exam, in combination with a regular visual examination, provides a comprehensive oral screening procedure for patients at increased risk for oral cancer. The ViziLite Plus exam is painless and fast, and could help save your life.
ViziLite Plus is performed immediately following yearly visual examinations.
Importance of Early Detection
Early detection is the key to reducing the devastating impact of oral cancer on victims and their families. Annual oral cancer screening of patients at increased risk for oral cancer, patients age 18 and older, and tobacco users of any age, is the only way to achieve the early detection of oral cancer necessary to reduce the death rate of oral cancer - a death rate that has remained unchanged for more than 40 years.
Doesn't my dentist already do a cancer screening?
Yes, your dentist does check your neck and oral tissues for lumps, red or white patches or recurring sore areas. But typically, these techniques catch cancer at very advanced stages and mortality drops dramatically. Early detection is key to a successful treatment. With Vizilite Plus Dr. Dahlkemper can detect early stages of cancer more easily and should be checked yearly.
Did you know that Charleston County has one of the highest percentage of Oral Cancer Cases in SC?
An estimated 28,000 new cases of oral cancer and 7,200 deaths from these cancers occurred in the United States in 2004. The age-adjusted incidence was more than twice as high among men than among women, as was the mortality rate. More than 40% of persons diagnosed with oral cancer die within five years of diagnosis.
More than 90% of oral cancers can be attributed to tobacco use, alcohol use, and both tobacco and alcohol use. Sun exposure can also be a risk factor for oral cancer. Low consumption of fruit and some types of human papilloma virus infections have also been implicated.
Oral cancer is the 9th most common cancer in South Carolina, with 2,897 oral cancers diagnosed between 1996 and 2001 (or about 480 new cases per year). South Carolina ranks 2nd in the nation for deaths from oral cancer. The majority (70%) of oral cancers occurred in males, with black males having the highest incidence. There are three counties in South Carolina (Charleston, Georgetown, and Richland) with oral cancer rates higher than the state average.