A recent report from the Oral Health Foundation indicates that new cases of mouth cancer in the UK have reached a record high. The data were published in State of the Mouth Cancer UK Report 2020-2021, in line with November’s Mouth Cancer Action Month.
The findings revealed that 8722 individuals in the UK were diagnosed with oral cancer last year, an increase of 97 per cent from the year 2000. Cases have risen for the eleventh consecutive year and have more than doubled within the last generation.
Sixty-seven per cent of mouth cancer cases are recorded in men, and 78 per cent are recorded in individuals aged over 55 years. Thirty-four per cent of cases occur in the tongue. Tonsils, the roof and floor of the mouth, lips and gums are other commonly affected areas. Mouth cancer accounts for 2702 deaths annually, which translates to one person every hour on average.
Early detection is the key to a favourable prognosis, with the likelihood of survival increasing from 50 per cent to 90 per cent along with an improved quality of life.
Dr Nigel Carter OBE, Chief Executive of the Oral Health Foundation has emphasised the importance of raising awareness about the disease. “One of the biggest challenges we face regarding mouth cancer is how little educational support it receives from government and public health bodies,” he stated.
