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UCF Promote Mouth Cancer Awareness Week
By Derval Keenan, 11/29/2004 10:33:48 AM
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The Ulster Cancer Foundation (UCF) is encouraging people to be aware of the causes and symptoms of cancers, which affect the mouth, during Mouth Cancer Awareness Week 7th ? 13th November.
Mouth cancer is a malignant growth, which can occur in or on any part of the mouth, tongue or lips. It can often present itself as a painless ulcer that does not heal or less often, a red or white patch in the mouth.
Gerry McElwee, Head of Cancer Prevention, UCF, said, ?The good news is that mouth cancer can be prevented by lifestyle choices and can be treated more effectively if symptoms are reported early. Anyone can contract mouth cancer, but certain groups of people are more at risk than others. The combination of smoking and excessive alcohol consumption can mean that some people are more than 30 times more likely to develop mouth cancer than others.
?Giving up smoking is the first step to reducing the risk of developing mouth cancer. UCF offer a variety of support services including a smoking cessation support service to help people successfully give up. This confidential service meets at The Malone Lodge Hotel, Eglantine Avenue, Belfast, every Wednesday evening at 7pm. UCF, supported by the Eastern Health and Social Services Board, also run a free smoking cessation service to help people stop smoking. This service brings UCF into the heart of the community providing weekly smoking advice clinics in leisure centres, community centres and workplaces, at a time convenient to smokers who want to give up. For further information on UCF?s Smoking Cessation Clinics or groups please contact Bernie Neeson on 028 9049 2007.
?UCF also offer a comprehensive training portfolio for professionals. We deliver special training to dentists throughout Northern Ireland who now provide smoking cessation advice and support to their patients.
?If mouth cancer is detected early, a person?s survival chances can increase by 40% if the lesion is treated early under local anaesthetic. If the cancer is more advanced, treatment can involve radical surgery, including removal of part or all of the tongue, which can leave the patient with speech, eating or breathing difficulties. It is important that local people have regular dental check ups which are an effective method of early detection.?
Anyone who feels concerned about mouth cancer should make an appointment with their dentist, GP or contact the Ulster Cancer Foundation?s freefone helpline which is a confidential service, staffed by a team of specialist cancer nurses on 0800 783 33 39, available 9am ? 5pm, Monday ? Friday.
-ends-
For further information please contact Gerry McElwee, Head of Cancer Prevention, UCF on 028 9049 2007 or 07880 504577 or Derval Keenan, PR and Events Officer, UCF on 028 9049 2007 or 07812 525531 or for further information on UCF?s services log onto ulstercancer.org
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