Despite high tobacco consumption, death rate from oral cancer in Middle East remains low
Modern surgery techniques improve prognosis for oral cancer patients in the Middle East - experts at Dubai Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Congress to discuss.
- (1888PressRelease) April 18, 2011 - Dubai, UAE: Oral cancer is the sixth most common cancer reported globally with an annual incidence of over 300,000 cases. Roughly two thirds of these arise in developing countries. The death rate of oral cancer is notably lower in the Middle East than in India or the U.S. In the Middle East, two deaths per 100,000 are caused by oral cancer whereas 10 per 100,000 occur in the U.S. and 20 per 100,000 in India. Regardless of nationality, roughly half of long-term smokers will die from the effects of tobacco smoking, be it oral cancer, lung cancer or cardiovascular disease.
Oral cancer, as well as updates in maxillofacial reconstruction, microneurosurgery, oral trauma, and facial cosmetic and orthognathic surgery, will be reviewed at the 2nd Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Congress to be held at the Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Hotel in Dubai from 1 - 5 May 2011. Organised by Imedex in association with Arab Health, this year's meeting will provide a number of new features that explore the rapidly reshaping field of oral and facial surgery.
"The main causes of oral cancer have classically been related to smoking tobacco products and the Middle East has a higher rate of tobacco consumption then many other countries and this includes the use of the Shisha or Hookah," says Dr Eric J. Dierks, Clinical Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Oregon Health and Science University, USA and director of the Fellowship in Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery based at Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland, Oregon, who will be speaking at the congress. "There is a myth that smoking through a Shisha pipe is safer than smoking cigarettes but this is almost certainly not the case. Several recent studies have indicated that Shisha smokers actually inhale more of the cooled smoke than would a cigarette smoker thereby increasing their exposure to carcinogens within the smoke.
"Despite this, in terms of death rate from oral cancer, the Middle East is nowhere near the top. Iraq has the highest death rate from oral cancer but is only 31st in world ranking. This is followed by Yemen at 35th, Saudi Arabia at 59th and Iran at 131st. The UAE is 134th, Oman 138th, Lebanon 147th, Kuwait 187th, Qatar 190th and Syria 191st," he adds.
Dr. Dierks is board-certified by the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and by the American Board of Otolaryngology. He founded the first Fellowship in Head & Neck Oncologic Surgery in the U.S. that was available to graduates of oral and maxillofacial surgery residency.
To an ever greater extent, human papilloma virus (HPV) is a causative factor in cancer of sites in the oropharynx such as the tonsil or the base of the tongue, although HPV related cancer is much less common within the mouth itself. Approximately two thirds of cancers of the base of tongue and tonsil are caused by HPV and 80% of these cases occur in men.
"There is no relationship between either smoking or alcohol intake with the HPV associated oropharyngeal cancer. Fortunately, HPV associated oropharyngeal cancer actually carries a much better prognosis than does a cancer in this location that is not associated with HPV. Although research is ongoing, the reason for this is as yet unclear," Dr Dierks comments.
The early diagnosis of oral cancer is extremely important because not only is the prognosis significantly better for early stage cancer, but the treatment involved is often less extensive, notes Dr Dierks. "We now use intelligent coordination of multimodality therapy such as combining chemotherapy, radiation and surgery to produce the best result in terms of prognosis yet preserve as much tissue and function as possible. Modern reconstructive surgical techniques utilising microvascular free flaps from the wrist and bone from the fibula can be computer designed to produce an almost perfect fit of these tissues and a much better reconstructive result than we had been able to achieve before. Lastly, the advent of dental implants into dentistry has also made its mark on rehabilitation of the oral cancer patient."
For more information regarding the Dubai Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Congress, please call +1 (678) 242 0906 or visit www. www.dubaiomfs.com.
About Imedex:
For more information about Imedex, please visit www.imedex.com.
About Arab Health:
For more information about Arab Health, please visit www.arabhealthonline.com.
About the Legacy Emanuel Hospital:
For more information about Legacy Emanuel Hospital, please visit www.leagcyhealth.org.
For media enquiries please contact:
Inga Stevens
PR Manager, Life Science Division
IIR Middle East
T: +971 4 407 2743/F: +971 4 336 4021
inga.stevens ( @ ) iirme dot com
###
space
space
Satisfied Users & 
Approved Press Releases
Print
Email
Report Spam