Cells That Lead to Oral Cancer Can Be Detected With ViziliteŽ Screenings,
Available at the Dental Group at St. Barnabas
Gibsonia, Pa. - Oct. 30, 2008 - One American dies every hour from oral cancer, a death rate that has remained virtually unchanged for more than 40 years, according to the American Cancer Society. In response to that alarming statistic, The Dental Group at St. Barnabas is now offering an oral cancer screening aimed at saving lives through early detection of oral lesions that can lead to cancer.
Eric D. Kern, D.M.D., director of The Dental Group at St. Barnabas, is a provider of the ViziLiteŽ Plus with TBlue630 oral lesion identification and marking system. The screening is available to current or new patients of The Dental Group at St. Barnabas by calling 724-444-4727.
"The ViziLite screening test is quick, painless and noninvasive," Dr. Kern said. The patient is asked to rinse with a special solution. Dr. Kern then shines the ViziLiteŽ device - which is similar in size to a ballpoint pen - inside the patient's mouth. The light source causes any abnormalities, such as precancerous oral tissue, to glow bright white.
Since offering the ViziLiteŽ screening in August, Dr. Kern has screened approximately 80 patients, seeing abnormal cells in three. Additional testing confirmed that the cells in all three patients were suspicious and possibly pre-cancerous.
"I feel confident that this simple screening prevented cancer from occurring in all three patients," Dr. Kern said. "The ViziLiteŽ screening enables me to see abnormal cells at a much earlier stage of development than a traditional visual examination."
The cells in the mouth of one of Dr. Kern's patients were determined to be Human Papillomavirus (HPV). While HPV is widely known to cause cervical cancer, a study reported in New England Journal of Medicine in May 2007 found a link between oral sex and HPV.
"The news that there is a link between oral sex and oral cancer is cause for concern," Kern said. "This is something we in the dental and medical fields will be learning more about. As with any cancer, early detection is critical to survival, so I am educating all of my patients about the benefits of the ViziLiteŽ screening."
The ViziLiteŽ Plus TBlue630 screening was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in January 2005 and is the only FDA-cleared oral lesion identification and marking system available. The Dental Group at St. Barnabas is charging $40 for the screening and will bill the patient's insurance carrier, although many insurers are not covering ViziLiteŽ at this point.
About St. Barnabas, St. Barnabas Health System is the largest health care concern of its kind in Pennsylvania and offers service apart from the ordinary in a faith-based, non-denominational setting. Tracing its heritage back to 1900, the system serves approximately 900 inpatients and residents, plus 35,000 outpatients and home care clients. The health system is composed of the
St. Barnabas Communities, including The Village at St. Barnabas, The Washington Place at St. Barnabas and The Woodlands at St. Barnabas; St. Barnabas Clinical Services, including St. Barnabas Nursing Home, St. Barnabas Medical Center, Valencia Woods at St. Barnabas and The Arbors at St. Barnabas; the Kean Theatre; and St. Barnabas Charities, the fund-raising arm.
Contact:
Kathleen Brenneman
(724) 444-5530
kbrenneman@stbarnabashealthsystem.com
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