Withington MP John Leech joined Cancer Research UK to launch a new national campaign to raise awareness of mouth cancer.
The campaign, called 'Open Up to Mouth Cancer', was launched with results from a Cancer Research UK survey showing that cases of mouth cancer have shot up by a quarter over the past 10 years but few people are aware of the disease, its causes and symptoms.
Smoking and drinking are together estimated to cause more than 75 per cent of mouth cancer cases in developed countries. But while three quarters of people asked about the causes of mouth cancer were able to name smoking, only one fifth mentioned alcohol.
John Leech MP says: "It's very worrying that people aren't aware that alcohol is a major cause of mouth cancer. Greater awareness of the symptoms of mouth cancer - along with regular visits to the dentist - could greatly improve survival for the disease."
He adds: "Early detection improves the chances of surviving mouth cancer, but many people do not know enough about the disease and its symptoms to catch it in good time. I hope this campaign will raise awareness and save lives by helping people to recognise the symptoms, seek an early diagnosis and obtain prompt treatment."
At the launch last week, MPs heard from Kathleen Devers, a mouth cancer patient, who was diagnosed with mouth cancer in 2001. After surgery to remove the tumour, Kathleen then had tissue from her thigh and arm grafted into her mouth.
Kathleen says: "I was lucky that my cancer was caught early and could be treated successfully. I urge everyone to look out for changes in their mouth and to visit their dentist regularly."
Around 4,400 people get mouth cancer every year in the UK. In 2003, mouth cancer killed more people than cervical cancer and testicular cancer put together. In spite of these facts, public knowledge of the disease is relatively low - nearly a third of people who took part in the survey said they did not know any symptoms of mouth cancer.
The most common signs of mouth cancer are an ulcer or sore in the mouth or on the tongue, a red or white patch in the mouth, or an unexplained pain in the mouth or ear. You should visit your doctor if these changes last longer than three weeks. To find out more about mouth cancer go to the campaign's website:
Sara Hiom, Cancer Research UK's Head of Health Information, says: "The good news is that the disease is largely preventable. At least three quarters of mouth cancers could be prevented by stopping smoking and reducing alcohol intake.
"Our new campaign aims to improve awareness of mouth cancer, and encourages people to get themselves checked out by a doctor or dentist if they spot a potential problem."
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