Education is key

The number of new oral cancer cases is approaching 7,000 a year; this is a growth of almost a third in the last decade alone. Oral cancer is thought to result in more than 2,000 deaths every year, claiming more lives than testicular and cervical cancer combined. With these numbers still on the rise, the importance of early diagnosis and treatment can not be stressed enough.

The key is education – both of the profession and public. I don't think people realise how widespread the disease is. It really does affect everyone. As we know, the risk is increased with habits such as smoking or drinking, especially when the two are combined. The statistics also show that oral cancer affects more males than females, and age is another influential factor – the over 40's are a particularly high risk category. That being said, we are beginning to find an increased prevalence in women and younger people, as well as those who wouldn't usually be considered high risk.