Swift action of a friend sees one man live to tell his cancer tale

Whenever Thomas Cronin is going down to the library, he pops in to visit his best friend’s widow.

On one such visit last September, he mentioned that he’d been having darting pains in his tongue.

A woman who likes her radio, June suggested he go along to a free mouth cancer screening day being held at Cork University Dental School and Hospital. She’d heard it advertised that day.

“I might just do that,” said the 67-year-old from Ballyphehane in Cork. Really, he had little intention of doing so. But June was persistent and rang the following day to say she’d booked an appointment for him.

June may very well have saved his life, as after the physical examination, the investigating doctor called a second and third colleague over. It was decided Thomas ought to undergo a biopsy at CUH. That was Thursday. On Monday afternoon, he was told he had tongue cancer.

Up to 10,000 people attended last year’s Mouth Cancer Awareness Day. At least 13 mouth cancers were diagnosed at the free event.

Dr Eleanor O’Sullivan, clinical lecturer at the dental hospital, said “people travelled from Cavan to Dublin and from Waterford to Cork”.

In the past year, Thomas has had surgery and radiotherapy and at his last appointment was told he didn’t need to see his consultant for another six months.

“I was haunted. What really got me is that the doctors told me that everyone should really have regular dental check ups, as if any mouth cancer is detected early, there is a great recovery rate. I’d only ever go to the dentist if I was in pain,” he said.

Another mouth cancer screening day will be held on Sept 19 at dentists’s surgeries around the country and at the Cork and Dublin University Dental Hospitals.

Mouth, head, and neck cancers are on the increase in Ireland yet remain relatively unknown. It can affect the lips, gums, cheek, tongue, palate, tonsils, throat, salivary glands, sinuses, nose and voice box. Symptoms include ulcers that won’t heal, white, red or speckled patches, neck lumps or swellings and difficulty swallowing.

“The most important message to remember is that any unexplained ulcer or lesion present for more than three weeks should be investigated,” said Dr O’Sullivan.

There are more than 300 cases of mouth cancer reported in Ireland every year. Like many cancers, early intervention improves outlook significantly but when there is such poor knowledge of the illness, people are less likely to suspect they may be sufferers.

“The screening will be simple, painless and take about five minutes,” said Dr O’Sullivan.

Those wishing to attend their local dentist should visit the dedicated website www.mouthcancerawareness.ie to see if they are participating and to check times.

Those wishing to attend the Cork dental hospital& for examination should ring the dedicated phone line for an appointment on 021 4901169. The number is operational from 10am to 4pm, from Sept 11-18.

Risk factors for mouth cancer

Smoking tobacco – cigarettes, roll-ups, cigars, pipes or cannabis.

Excessive alcohol consumption.

Using both tobacco and alcohol together greatly increases your risk.

Excessive exposure to sunlight or radiation (for lip cancer).

Chewing tobacco, betelguid, gutkha, and paan.

A diet lacking in fruit and vegetables.

Viral infections, eg, the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV can be spread through oral sex.