The power is in your hands – how to save a life in 3 minutes

Oral cancer screening & prevention program • DHHS- funded initiative under the Victorian Cancer Plan, to support

Victorian oral and other health professionals

• Training piloted in community dental agencies and private dental practices in 2019, which has now been evaluated

• Insights from the pilot will inform information and training to be offered to all oral health professionals in Victoria, providing support to identify high risk groups, talk about prevention with patients, detect early signs of oral cancer and refer appropriately

• With a shared goal to improve early detection and health outcomes

Oral cancer in Victoria

• Oral cancer is on the rise in Victoria

• 9th most common cancer for Victorian men and 16th for women

• Every week on average, more than 14 people in the state will be diagnosed with oral cancer and five people will die from it

• Higher rates in over 45s, especially men; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; and people in low income groups

• With a poor survival rate, screening and early detection is crucial

• It’s important to screen everyone, at every oral examination

Incidence and mortality of oral cancer (C00-C10, C14), Victoria 2005 – 2018

Source: DHHS Victoria

Oral cancer risk factors

Oral cancer risk factors

• Tobacco and alcohol use are the top two risk factors: causing 75% of oral cancers

• The combined risk of the two is far greater than their singular risk

• HPV infection: largely responsible for the rise in oropharyngeal cancers

• Sun exposure

• Being overweight or obese

• Also some evidence for low vegetable intake

• These risk factors could apply to every patient that you see

Spot the suspicious lesion

Oral cancer

Lichen planus:

non-malignant

Mouth ulcer:

possibly malignant

Verruca vulgaris:

non-malignant

The challenge

• Talking to patients about cancer prevention can be challenging

• Oral cancer can be difficult to detect in its early stages

• Yet late stage oral cancer has a poor prognosis – just one in three people will live beyond five years (66% relative five-year survival rate)

• With severe health and economic impacts for people and their families

• A comprehensive prevention and screening program with clear referral pathways is lacking in Australia

Your three-minute solution

• Oral cancer risk assessment, opportunistic screening and early detection will help reduce the impact of oral cancer on Victorians

• Oral cancer screening should form part of every comprehensive, periodic and limited oral examination. It takes only a short time and is an integral element of routine care

• In just two extra minutes, you can explain to patients what you’re doing; ask about tobacco use and alcohol consumption; explain other risks, including HPV infection; and encourage oral and dietary health

• Referring any suspected oral cancers to the Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne’s oral medicine unit

Julie McCrossin, broadcaster, journalist and oropharyngeal cancer survivor

Repeatedly saw her GP complaining of an ear ache, a sore throat and two lumps on her neck

Diagnosed with stage 4 oropharyngeal cancer in mid 2013, caused by HPV infection

Had painful, challenging radiation treatment and chemotherapy

Julie’s story: www.beyondfive.org.au/Life-after-cancer/Our-Ambassador-Julie-McCrossin

Early detection saves lives

Oral cancer prevention and screening in Victoria

Get involved and find out more

• Find out about state-wide program plans

• Advocate for oral cancer prevention and screening

• Share your own experiences and insights

• Train your teams

Contact program lead: Kym Lang, DHSV

kym.lang@dhsv.org.au

www.dhsv.org.au/oral-health-programs/oral-cancer-screening-and-prevention

The program is led by Dental Health Services Victoria,in partnership with the University of Melbourne Dental School, the Australian Dental Association (Victorian Branch), La Trobe University Department of Dentistry and the Department of Health and Human Services, which also provides funding for the program.