CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, Vol 3, 144-149, Copyright
© 1953 by American Cancer Society
Diagnosis of Early Cancer of the Mouth
Hayes Martin M.D.
The patient with mouth or throat cancer, complaining either of local symptoms in these areas or of a "lump in the neck," will usually apply to the family doctor, to the family dentist, or to whatever medically trained person is [SEE TABLE 2 IN SOURCE PDF] usually consulted first for directions in cases of illness. Only rarely is a so-called "specialist" or a tumor clinic consulted first. It is therefore essential that the first physician or dentist consulted be sufficiently cancer-conscious to recognize the possibility of cancer and either to proceed with the diagnostic measures or to refer the patient elsewhere, where such diagnostic procedures can be carried out.
From the standpoint of prognosis for permanent cure, the importance of early diagnosis in mouth cancer is readily demonstrated. In Table 2 is given the five-year—cure rate in all comers (early and advanced) with cancer in certain primary sites in the mouth. In the second column is given the corresponding cure rates in early or moderately advanced lesions (less than 2 cm. in diameter). In this table it is seen that the cure rate in the earlier stages is at least twice, sometimes three times, as great as in the over-all cases, including both early and advanced. Such a figure should be eloquent proof of the importance of early diagnosis, and should bring to the attention of all members of the medical and dental professions their responsibility toward the public welfare and the large part that they play in the reduction of the death rate from cancer of the mouth.
