"Swish-and-Spit" Cancer Test as Easy to Use as Mouth Rinse

According to the National Cancer Institute the annual treatment expenditures for head and neck cancers reach about $3.2 billion. Of the approximately fifty-five thousand Americans, who will develop some type of head and neck cancer this year, about thirteen thousand will die from the disease. Most of these deaths could be prevented, if the cancer would be detected early. However, if early warning signs are ignored the chances to beat the cancer are significantly reduced. Scientists have been working on methods to detect this type of cancer even earlier. Now researchers at Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center have developed a simple and non-invasive testing method for the detection of this type of cancer, which appears to be quite accurate.

There are several types of head and neck cancer. The cancer often begins in the soft and moist skin that lines the inside of the mouth, nose, and throat. It can also be found on the tongue and lips, in the sinuses, salivary glands, voice box, and neck lymph nodes. First warning signs are usually a lump in the neck, voice changes, a growth in the mouth, bringing up blood, problems swallowing, skin changes, and/or persistent earache. Traditional treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.

Some people are at a higher risk of developing head and neck cancer. Tobacco use is one of the leading causes. About eighty-five percent of the cases are linked to cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, or snuff. Another major risk factor is alcohol use. Additionally, prolonged sun exposure can be a risk factor for this type of cancer.