Dr. Paolo Boffetta – How Can You Arrest Oral Cancer in Its Early Stages

Oral cancer is a disease that affects different regions of your mouth. These areas could be the tongue, lips, the inner surface of the cheeks and gums. It occurs when the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in cells of your mouth undergoes a sudden genetic change. They start to grow and sub-divide abnormally to take the place of dead ones. With time, the abnormal cells expand rapidly and then accumulate to create a tumor. This tumor quickly spreads to other parts of your body. Smoking, exposure to the sun, and excessive alcohol consumption are the main causes of oral cancer.

Dr. Paolo Boffetta – Identify the symptoms of oral cancer.

Dr. Paolo Boffetta is an esteemed epidemiologist from Italy who specializes in cancer research. He has over 30 years of valuable experience under his belt. During this period, he has made significant contributions to understanding how this chronic disease spreads. It even includes a critical role in alcohol consumption, smoking, bad nutrition, environmental factors, and occupation play. Throughout his career, he has held important positions in top cancer research centers around the world. These include the American Health Foundation, Columbia University, US National Cancer Center, Karolinska Institute, and the German Cancer Research Center. Currently, he holds the post of Director at the Institute for Translational Epidemiology.

He says you need to be aware of the early warning signs of oral cancer. Then you can visit your doctor to get a thorough checkup. Only he can either confirm or dispel your doubts after conducting a thorough diagnosis. In doing so, your doctor will look for the following symptoms:

• • Sores which develop in your mouth but do not seem to heal,
  • The appearance of slow-growing lumps in various parts of your mouth,

• Sudden changes in your voice especially if you are a chain smoker,
• A feeling of numbness in your lower lips, and
• Your mouth starts to bleed continuously for over a week.

Prevention tips to avoid oral cancer

He further explains prevention is always better than a cure. You can easily avoid getting oral cancer in the first place by:

• Giving up or avoiding smoking all forms of tobacco products,
• Drinking all kinds of alcohol beverages in moderation,
• Visiting your dentist every six months for a dental checkup,
• Avoid going outdoors when the sun is at its peak,
• Apply sunscreen on your face and wear a hat if you have to go into the sun, and
• Take an anti-human papillomavirus injection only on the recommendations of your doctor.

In the opinion of Dr. Paolo Boffetta oral cancer first occurs in your month. Then the disease quickly spreads to other parts of your body. The symptoms of this form of cancer include sores and slow-growing lumps developing in your mouth. You do not have any sensation in the lower part of your lips, and the voice suddenly changes. Moreover, your mouth might start to bleed for no apparent reason. However, you can avoid getting this disease with awareness and the identification of some early symptoms. You just need to stop smoking, avoid alcohol as much as possible, and stop going out into the sun when it peaks. Moreover, you have to remember to visit your dentist every six months to check for sores and suspicious lumps.