Sarah Bush Lincoln Ear, Nose and Throat Physician Lori Cudone, MD, will offer free head and neck cancer exams to the public from 5 to 7:30 pm on Tuesday, April 22; and from 7:30 to 11:30 am on Saturday, April 26, at SBL’s ENT Clinic in Mattoon.
Dr. Cudone and associates will perform a screening exam to check for head and neck cancers, including cancers of the nasal cavity, sinuses, lips, mouth, salivary glands, throat, or larynx (voice box).
April 20 to 26 has been designated nationally as Oral Cancer Awareness Week. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 35,000 Americans are diagnosed with head and neck cancers each year, and more than 7,000 people die from these cancers.
Risk factors for this type of cancer are age, exposure to sun, smoking, chewing tobacco, use of alcohol, poor nutrition and the HPV virus. Early detection of suspicious areas in the mouth and tongue can be done routinely at regular dental office visits and by a family doctor.
For more information or to make an appointment for a free cancer exam, call the SBL ENT Clinic at (217) 258- or 348-2409. The clinic is located at 1000 Health Center Drive, Suite 401, Mattoon.