Newswise — When diagnosed early, oral, head and neck cancers can be easily treated, without significant complications. Pennsylvania Hospital will offer free screenings for oral, head and neck cancer on Thursday, April 24 at the Center for Head and Neck Surgery. Take Philadelphia resident Carol Jessup for example. Soon after losing a friend to throat cancer, Ms. Jessup was diagnosed with throat cancer herself, after complaining of pain to her ear, nose and throat specialist.
A fearless adventurer, Ms. Jessup's impending trip to Machu Pichu and the Galapagos Islands had to be cancelled and replaced with cancer treatment. Jessup is a former engineer and certified project manager with IBM for 20 years. She had retired just five months before the diagnosis. "Had my friend not recently gone through throat cancer, I may never have brought it up to my doctor," says Jessup of her throat pain. "We're not conditioned to think that a sore throat can be cancer."
Oral, head and neck cancers are most common among those who smoke, chew tobacco and consume excessive amounts of alcohol. More than 85 percent of head and neck cancers are related to tobacco use, while others may have a relationship to viral causes such as HPV and Epstein-Barr Virus.
Jessup's treatment included six weeks of chemotherapy, followed by seven weeks of radiation treatment to shrink the tumor. She then had neck surgery to remove the remaining affected lymph nodes on the right side of her neck.
Her cancer treatment plan and neck surgery was guided by Jason G. Newman, MD, head and neck surgeon at Pennsylvania Hospital. "Carol's case was one of our easier ones to treat. Her cancer was caught early and treatment immediately followed, says Dr. Newman. "Head and neck cancers can spread quickly, and many people dismiss the symptoms as being something other than cancer."
Jessup is back to normal now- with only a few reminders of her surgery. She often has dry mouth due to a loss of saliva glands during radiation. Subsequent cat scans and PET scans have shown the area to be cancer-free.
Since surgery, Jessup has made the trip to the Galalopogos Islands, Machu Picchu, Buenos Aires and Patagonia-- and is planning her second trip to Australia and Southeast Asia.
Editor's Note: The Joan Karnell Cancer Center at Pennsylvania Hospital will offer free screenings from 11 am to 3 pm on Thursday, April 24th at the center for Head and Neck surgery at 811 Spruce Street. For more information or to register, please call 1800-789-PENN.
About Pennsylvania HospitalPennsylvania Hospital -- the nation's first -- was founded in 1751 by Benjamin Franklin and Dr. Thomas Bond. Today, the 515-bed acute care facility offers a full-range of diagnostic and therapeutic medical services and is a major teaching and clinical research institution. The hospital has over 25,000 admissions each year, including over 5,000 births. With a national reputation in areas such as orthopaedics, cardiac care, vascular surgery, neurosurgery, otorhinolaryngology (ENT) and urology as well as obstetrics, high-risk maternal and fetal services, neonatology, and behavioral health, the campus also includes specialty treatment centers such as the Joan Karnell Cancer Center, the Center for Bloodless Medicine and Surgery, the PENN Neurological Institute and the radiosurgical Gamma Knife Center. Pennsylvania Hospital is part of the University of Pennsylvania Health System and is located in the historic Society Hill district of Philadelphia.
About oral head and neck cancer Oral, head & neck cancer (OHNC) refers to a variety of cancers that develop in the head and neck region, such as the oral cavity (mouth); the pharynx (throat); paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity; the larynx (voice box); thyroid and salivary glands; the skin of the face and neck; and the lymph nodes in the neck. Common warning signs of OHNC include:* Red or white patch in the mouth that lasts more than two weeks* Change in voice or hoarseness that lasts more than two weeks* Sore throat that does not subside* Pain or swelling in the mouth or neck that does not subside* Lump in the neck
Other warning signs that occur during later stages of the disease include:* Ear pain* Difficulty speaking or swallowing* Difficulty breathing
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