Sarah Bush Lincoln Ear, Nose and Throat Physician Lori Cudone, MD, and Keith Ballinger, PA-C, will offer free head and neck cancer exams to the public from 5 to 7 pm on Tuesday, April 17; and from 7:30 to 11:30 am on Saturday, April 21, at SBL’s ENT Clinic in Mattoon, by appointment only.
Dr. Cudone, Ballinger 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 8 to 15 has been designated nationally as Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week. Given the rise in oral cancers related to human papillomavirus (HPV), screening for early detection of this disease is more important than ever.
The fastest rising types of these cancers are mouth and throat cancer, which account for more than 40,000 cases per year in the U.S. Head and neck cancers account for approximately three percent of all diagnosed cancers in the country. Risk factors for this type of cancer are age, 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) 258-2409. The clinic is located at 1000 Health Center Drive, Suite 401, Mattoon.