Reducing the Burden of Oral and Pharyngeal Cancers

ABSTRACT

In the United States, oral and pharyngeal cancers continue to result in significant morbidity and mortality. Dental professionals play a pivotal role in all facets of controlling the burden of oral and pharyngeal cancer – from efforts to prevent its occurrence, to ensuring that oral cancers are detected at the earliest possible stage, to treating these cancers, and to ensuring maximum quality of life and function for oral and pharyngeal cancer survivors. Individually and by making linkages within the community and beyond, dentists can help patients modify their risk of these cancers and can take steps to screen for them, thereby potentially improving survival and function of those who develop oral cancer. Creative partnerships between community dentists and academic and other research centers will help move knowledge of the biological processes involved in carcinogenesis and innovations in treatment into clinical practice. Partnerships between dental and medical professionals may also help efforts to reduce the morbidity related to oral and pharyngeal cancers. Local, state and national multidisciplinary initiatives are emerging that focus more broadly on risk factor control or oral and pharyngeal cancer issues. These many forms of cooperative approaches offer excellent opportunities to make a significant impact on reducing the incidence of and in treating these debilitating and disfiguring malignancies.

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Notes on contributors

Deborah M. Winn

Deborah M. Winn, PhD, is a senior investigator in the Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Dental Research, National Institutes of Health.

Ann L. Sandberg

Ann L. Sandberg, PhD, is director of the Neoplastic Diseases Program and the Comprehensive Oral Health Research Centers of Discovery Program in the Division of Extramural Research, National Institute of Dental Research, National Institutes of Health.

Alice M. Horowitz

Alice M. Horowitz, PhD, is a senior scientist in the Office of Science Policy and Analysis, National Institute of Dental Research, National Institutes of Health.

Scott R. Diehl

Scott R. Diehl, PhD, is chief of the Molecular Genetic Epidemiology Section in the Division of Intramural Research at the National Institute of Dental Research, National Institutes of Health.

Silvio Gutkind

Silvio Gutkind, PhD, is chief of the Oral and Pharyngeal Cancer Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Dental Research, National Institutes of Health.

Dushanka V. Kleinman

Dushanka V. Kleinman, DDS, MScD, is deputy director, National Institute of Dental Research, National Institutes of Health.