The Velscope is designed to identify tissue that is different, something that has changed from normal mouth tissue. It will not determine exactly what something is, only a biopsy can do that. The Velscope picks up many different things and will light up for any irregularity. The Velscope can pick things up as tiny as 1 millimeter and only a few cell layers thick which is not visible to the naked eye. That said, its unlikely the Velscope would miss anything big enough for a patient to find on their own.

One thing to always remember about your mouth... Any spot or sore a patient has in their mouths for at least 2-3 weeks that does not resolve on its own should get checked by a professional. By professional, I mean an ENT who specializes in treating oral cancer (OC) patients (not the ENT that primarily puts tubes in kids ears).

If you are doing anything that makes you a higher risk patient for developing OC then Id advise you to stop immediately to give your mouth time to heal. Im talking about smoking (using any tobacco product... even e-cigs) and drinking alcohol of any type. By avoiding these things your mouth should heal on its own. If using any of those things, let this scare be your wake up call to cease forever so you do not ever end up needing our group. Not that we dont want you to join us, we dont want anyone else to get OC and suffer like we have.

Most people will have spots or sore areas in their mouths that come and go during their lifetime. Most of these things are nothing serious and could be many different things, all non-cancerous. The latest figures are that slightly under 50,000 people in the US will be diagnosed with OC this year. Thats not very many at all!!! Especially when considering how many people find bumps, lumps, spots, etc in their mouths every week. Frequently we have patients join our site convinced they have OC and therefore now have an "expiration date". I'd guess at least 9 out of 10 of these people who are convinced they have OC actually do not have cancer, which is a very good thing! Im hoping you are one of the lucky ones who have nothing serious going on.


Christine
SCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44
2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07
-65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr
Clear PET 1/08
4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I
surg 4/16/08 clr marg
215 HBO dives
3/09 teeth out, trismus
7/2/09 recur, Stg IV
8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy
3wks medicly inducd coma
2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit
PICC line IV antibx 8 mo
10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg
OC 3x in 3 years
very happy to be alive smile