Millions of people suffer from the seemingly harmless, yet uncomfortable, symptom: a mouth ulcer. And when Sinead Marland noticed she had one, she didn’t think anything of it.
It had stubbornly refused to go away after three weeks, so the mother-of-two visited her GP. They told him there was nothing to worry about.
The small, raised white bump on his tongue was more irritating than painful. But reassured, Sinead, then 39, put it down to the stress of running after her children.
Two months later, Sinead visited her dentist for a check-up. She had learned to live with that uncomfortable ulcer, but the dentist was concerned and referred her to a specialist.
A series of tests finally revealed the shocking truth: it was oral cancer.
When Sinead Marland noticed she had an ulcer in her mouth, she thought nothing of it, but a series of tests later revealed it was oral cancer.
“I was a smoker so I knew there was a risk, but the doctor said it was fine,” says Sinead. “I was incredibly lucky they caught him.”
Sinead is now cancer free after surgery. However, during the procedure a large section of his tongue was removed. For months he had difficulty eating or speaking. His speech has not yet completely returned to normal.
She says: ‘I had to relearn how to speak, but I sound different now. And I have scars on my arms and torso where I had skin grafts done to reconstruct my tongue.’
Sinead is not alone: doctors, dentists and patients fail to detect the early symptoms of cancer, which has caused the number of deaths to skyrocket over the decade.
Cases in the UK have hit a record high, surpassing 10,000 for the first time, according to data collected by the Oral Health Foundation. In the last 20 years, diagnoses have increased 133 percent.
As a result, the charity is celebrating Mouth Cancer Action Month throughout November, to raise awareness of the early signs and prevent thousands of deaths.
Symptoms include persistent ulcers, red or white spots in the mouth, and lumps in the mouth, head or neck. Ulcers caused by cancer usually appear on or under the tongue, but occasionally they can appear in other parts of the mouth.
“The problem is that the early signs of oral cancer are very similar to those of many other diseases, and many people suffer from mouth ulcers,” says Manchester dentist Dr Ben Atkins.
Dr Nigel Carter, chief executive of the Oral Health Foundation, adds: “The demographics of people with cancer have changed: we used to only diagnose heavy smokers and drinkers in their 70s, but we are seeing many younger cases.” .’
The disease is also contracted later. More than half of cases are diagnosed at stage three or four.
Five-year survival for the most advanced cases is 35 percent (85 percent in stage one). As a result, an estimated 3,637 people in the UK died from oral cancer last year, 61 per cent more than a decade ago.
‘Detecting symptoms in time is essential. That’s why it’s important to visit your dentist if you have a persistent ulcer,” says Dr. Atkins.
However, the data comes as people across the country struggle to get a dental appointment.
“We are recommending people see a GP or a dentist, as both can detect the signs of oral cancer,” says Dr Carter.
Research shows that the increase in cases is mainly due to patients between 40 and 50 years old. Experts believe this is due to lifestyle.
In 2013, actor Michael Douglas revealed that he had developed oral cancer as a result of an HPV infection. He is now cancer free.
“Smoking and excessive alcohol consumption remain important risk factors, but we are seeing an increasing number of cases related to human papillomavirus (HPV),” says Dr. Carter. Around 70 per cent of mouth and throat cancer cases are caused by HPV, says Cancer Research UK.
In 2013, actor Michael Douglas revealed that he had developed oral cancer as a result of an HPV infection. Douglas, now 80, had a walnut-sized tumor removed from the base of his tongue and underwent intensive chemotherapy. He is now cancer free.
There is an HPV vaccine, but figures show the number of children receiving it is falling. The highly effective vaccine has been offered to all Year 8 girls since 2008, and all boys since 2019, but almost half of all eligible children do not receive it, leaving them vulnerable later in life.
For some, the vaccine introduction came too late.
“My mouth was a mess, it hurt a lot, so when I found out I had cancer I was almost relieved to know what was wrong,” says Rachel Parsons.
Rachel Parsons, 53, a mother of five, visited her dentist and GP three times with a persistent mouth ulcer before insisting she be referred and diagnosed with cancer. Later tests showed that HPV was the likely cause.
“My mouth was a mess, it hurt a lot, so when I found out I had cancer I was almost relieved to know what was wrong,” Rachel says. ‘That first year, I was in and out of the hospital. It also put a strain on my marriage.
Fortunately, Rachel’s insistence on a test meant it was caught early enough to be surgically removed. He is now cancer-free and has been able to repair the damage to his relationship.
But the Coventry social worker says she has a scare, an ulcer or a pain in her mouth almost every year: ‘I still worry that doctors won’t catch it, but now I’m not afraid to open my mouth and ask for answers.’
With cases on the rise and early diagnosis key, if you have a mouth ulcer for more than three weeks, see a dentist or doctor.
