EARLY DETECTION IS KEY TO FIGHTING ORAL CANCER

--Those Who Drink Alcohol and Smoke Tobacco Are Most at Risk and Should Visit the Dentist Regularly--

--Oral, Head, and Neck Cancer Awareness Week is April 17-23--

PARSIPPANY, NJ (March 27, 2006) – Early detection through frequent dental visits is key to fighting oral cancer, according to Delta Dental of New Jersey, the leading dental benefits carrier in New Jersey and Connecticut. More than 8,000 deaths annually in the United States are due to late detection of oral cancer. Thirty thousand new cases of oral cancer are diagnosed each year; two-thirds of those cases are detected in late stage, leaving patients with an 18-20 percent chance of survival. Fifty percent of patients will not live past five years. The good news is that the probability of survival rises to as high as 90-95 percent when the disease is detected early enough. 

The Oral Cancer Foundation says that heavy use of tobacco products and alcohol, particularly the combined use of both, have been identified as the main cause of oral cancer, suggesting it is largely a "lifestyle" disease and can be prevented. Those who choose to drink alcohol and smoke tobacco products are at risk and should maintain good oral health and visit the dentist regularly to improve the chance of early detection.

In about 10 percent of patients, a dentist may notice a red or white spot in the patient's mouth during a routine examination. While most of these spots are harmless, some are not and may contain pre-cancerous or even cancerous cells. Using a fairly new procedure called brush biopsy, dentists now have the ability to more quickly and accurately detect the disease in its earliest stages.

"The brush biopsy has given the dentist a tool to screen large groups of patients who would not have normally been sent out for the traditional scalpel biopsy because their symptoms were not as progressed," said Dr. Arnold Rosenheck, assistant dean for Hospital Affairs & Institutional Development at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ)/New Jersey Dental School. An expert in oral and maxillofacial surgery, Dr. Rosenheck was in practice for 29 years prior to his appointment at UMDNJ in July of 1998.

"In severe cases where oral surgery is needed surgeons have had to remove parts of the patient's tongue and jaw bone, and perform radical dissections of the neck lymph nodes to prevent the cancer from spreading," said Dr. Rosenheck. "Radiation and chemotherapy are sometimes necessary for these patients as well. It is truly unfortunate because this type of cancer can be prevented and even treated if detected early enough."

"Delta Dental covers the brush biopsy procedure performed by the dentist and most medical insurance plans reimburse for the laboratory analysis," continued Dr. Navarro. "By including the brush biopsy procedure in our standard benefits, we are strengthening our commitment to improve the oral and overall health of the state."

About Delta Dental of New Jersey, Inc.
Delta Dental of New Jersey, Inc., is New Jersey’s and Connecticut's leading dental benefits carrier, providing coverage to more than one million people through contracts with employers in New Jersey and Connecticut. The Delta Dental system offers seamless dental benefits administration for employer groups throughout the country and the largest network of credentialed dentists in the nation. For more information visit us on the Web at www.deltadentalnj.com.