Oral cancer on the rise

A Greek member of the EU Parliament has asked the Commission what it is doing to address an ‘alarming’ increase in cases of oral cancer, some of which are down to tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption.

In a preamble to two question, which are due to be answered by the Commission in writing, Lampros Fountoulis said the Piraeus Dentists’ Association had raised the alarm about the worrying increase in the incidence of oral cancer because ‘the number of cases has risen by 25 percent over the past 10 years and every year more than 300,000 new cases are reported worldwide’.

‘According to Mr Goutzanis [Lampros Goutzanis of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens], oral cancer is difficult to treat and, when diagnosed at an advanced stage, the outcome is usually fatal,’ Fountoulis said.

‘He goes on to point out that a large number of patients only consult doctors when the disease has reached an advanced stage, adding that, unfortunately, only 31 percent of oral tumors are diagnosed at an early stage.

‘At least three-quarters of cases of oral cancer could have been avoided if patients had stopped smoking and drinking alcohol; but other factors are also responsible for the increase in the incidence of oral cancers, namely solar radiation and HPV (human papillomavirus), which is sexually transmitted*.’

Fountoulis asked the Commission:

1)         ‘Is it aware of the increase in cases of oral cancer in the EU?

2)         ‘What steps will it take to address this phenomenon?’

*https://www.in.gr/2019/02/04/health/anisyxitiki-ayksisi-sta-krousmata-karkinou-tou-stomatos/?fbclid=IwAR3EE-_HL4mLT3DqfbL6wKcssZqz9hg5bw6sto78hovxhaRwbqeO14udWxY; and http://www.amna.gr/health/article/331248/Anisuchitiki-auxisi-parousiazoun-ta-krousmatakarkinou-tou-stomatos