Does anyone know any dentists around the Allentown, PA area who do the oral cancer screenings? Ive read about a quick test with some type of light which will detect oral cancer.

You can run down the river to Yardley and visit Jerry. He has one of those gadgets, Velscope I think.

Take care,
Eileen

It is called Vizilite. You can read about it in my blog here http://www.surviving-oral-cancer.com/2008/03/deciding-on-your-treament-plan.html Thy ADA is still awaiting more documentation from them before approving it.

There are several lights on the market right now, and others soon to enter it. I was a consultant to Zila Pharmaceuticals in 2000 when they acquired the rights to the tissue reflectance idea/device they branded Vizilite. There is also a device which is based on tissue fluorescence called the VELscope. I have worked with the parent company of that device as well. Bottom line, I wouldn't pick a dentist to do a screening just because he uses an adjunctive device (neither of which is selective nor specific for cancer), but because he knows how to do a proper eyeball and wet finger screening. The ADA will not be approving the Vizilite as they are no longer putting their seal of approval on professional devices. (Long story, but suffice it to say this hasn't worked well for them), their endorsements don't mean much anyway. Both these devices are FDA 510k approved, which is not a huge testament to them, it just means they are significantly equivalent to a device that existed in the marketplace before 1972. They had to prove nothing more. The preexisting device that I used when working on the submission outline was a vaginal speculum, essentially a flashlight on a stick. I would not call that the height of technological advancement.... And with Zila's stock now at somewhere around 25 cents, down from $8.00, the company is actually fighting for survival. Ironically the preexisting device for the VELscope is the Vizilite, even though the technology is significantly more sophisticated. Bottom line they are NOT diagnostic devices, they are only designed to find suspect tissue, and they find everything from pizza burns, cheek bites, and lichen planus, to cancer. They do not distinguish which is which. I just gave a presentation at a research conference in Chicago on all the adjunctive devices used in screening. If you want to know more, I can help you understand this, but to patients it doesn't mean much.

As usual, Brian has gotten here before me. As a dentist (thanks for the plug, Eileen), I can't agree more with Brian about the importance of finding a dentist that does a thorough oral cancer screening. Both of the lights that have been mentioned above are not a substitute for, but an adjunct to, a complete oral cancer exam.

Christine, you should ask on the phone if the dentist or hygienist does oral cancer screenings routinely, before you make an appointment. If the answer is yes, ask what the exam consists of. If the person answering the phone is vague, the chances are that the office is not doing a good oral cancer screening. If they are, you can be sure that the office staff would know about it. If in doubt, ask to speak to the dentist and/or hygienist.

I am a strong believer that anyone going to an office that doesn't do a screening, should find another dentist.

As Eileen said in her response, we do use the VELscope, which we feel adds another layer of security to our telling a patient that they are OK.

John,

The solution that the patient rinses with (ViziLite) is not a cleansing agent, but is used to dessicate the cells so that they will be visible with the light stick.

Jerry

That solution is 1% acetic acid... sounds pretty important. Until you realize that you can buy it at the grocery store as white vinegar. It desiccates the tissues and removes the mucopolysaccarides and other shiny agents off the surface of your gingiva that cause reflections which may confuse your eye when you are looking for a different white reflectance of light from the enlarged nuclei of damaged cells.

Thank you for your responses. In my area it seems next to impossible to find a dentist who will do a complete exam which includes the Vizilite. One thing which stuck out to me about this light is that it wont differentiate between cancer and other more minor problems. That was what I was looking for, something that doesnt exist. I wanted this light to be able to tell if a sore was cancer or just a canker sore.

The reason behind this is that during my last visit with my ENT, he saw a sore starting right near where my oral cancer spot was. He said it was something to watch. A week later I saw my oral surgeon who mentioned the same thing. Maybe they dont realize what that means to a cancer patient, but to me it was very upsetting. So for now, since it hasnt healed I will sit tight till next month's ENT appointment then will insist it is checked.

Thanks again for your help.

It would not be unreasonable for you to have that spot biopsied after 14-21 days of it persisting. That would give you a black and white answer.

Im due to see my ENT on April 17th. Unfortunately he is booked solid and I cant get an earlier appointment. I called my oral surgeon. He is on vacation this week. His nurse got in touch with him and Monday afternoon Im getting my sore biopsied. At least I have one doctor who I know I can count on to always find a spot for me. This oral surgeon has even somehow managed to get my insurance company to pay for my dental implants.

Christine,

I'm happy to see that you will be getting the biopsy on Monday. Canker sores typically go away in one week to 10 days. They usually look like an oval ulcer and have a white center with a red border.

A couple of weeks ago, I too had a scare when I discovered a white area just next to the surgical site on my tongue. I had my partner check it out with our VELscope and we felt pretty good about the way it looked under the light. Thankfully, it went away in about 2 weeks and I have no idea what it was, but it is irrelevant at this time.

Your surgeon sounds like a caring dentist and I'm happy to hear that you have found such a person.

Good luck on Monday.

Jerry

Yes Christine, good luck monday. We are all with you.

Thanks Jim, I will be ok no matter what the results are. If its bad news, then it will get fixed again and hopefully this time it wont sneak back. If its good news then next week my PEG and port come out. Then its hyperbaric treatments, all teeth pulled and implants. Either way I still have a long road to recovery. But overall, I really cant worry too much or complain, Im one of the lucky ones

Christine,

Dan and I are sending tons of good wishes and prayers for you, hope all goes well tomorrow!

Margaret:

Thanks to both you and Dan for your support. This time around, I was awake for my biopsy. I am a big chicken when it comes to needles so I was very nervous. The whole procedure only took 15 minutes. The worst part was getting the initial numbing shots. This time around, it wasnt nearly as bad as the first time I had one done. Today I am swollen and sore, but I was still able to go to work. The results will be in next Monday.