BMJ 1994;308:669-670 (12 March)

Editorials

Improving the poor prognosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma

In Britain, oral squamous cell carcinoma kills at least 1400 people each year; nearly two thirds of patients with this cancer will die of their disease.1 But this gloomy proportion does not convey the full picture. Early disease, where the tumour measures less than 2 cm (T1) and there is no metastatic disease, responds to simple, cheap, non- debilitating treatment and has an expected five year survival of 80%.2 The poor prognosis for oral cancer in Britain reflects the large proportion of patients who have advanced disease by the time they are referred for specialist treatment.3

Oral cancer commonly presents as an indolent ulcer.4 These malignant ulcers fail to heal, distinguishing them from the very common traumatic and aphthous ulcers that heal spontaneously within two weeks. The commonest sites of the disease, the mobile tongue, floor of the mouth, and inside of the cheek, are all readily visible. Most cases . . . [Full text of this article]


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  • Shepherd, J. P, Thomas, D. W, Shepherd, P. (1996). Privatising the NHS: dentistry paves the way. BMJ 312: 922-923 [Full text]  
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