First ADA Living Guideline Reaffirms Dental Exams Crucial to Detecting Oral Cancer Early
Clinical oral examinations are critical to the early detection of oral cancer while biopsies remain the gold standard for definitive diagnosis, according to the first guideline released from the ADA Living Guideline Program.
The living guideline on the early detection of oral squamous cell carcinoma and potentially malignant disorders reaffirms that clinicians should perform a comprehensive extraoral and intraoral clinical exam on all adults, communicate its role in the early detection of oral and lip lesions, and obtain patients’ updated medical, social and dental histories.
“Dental visits can save lives,” said Mark Lingen, D.D.S., Ph.D., guideline panel chair, professor of pathology at the University of Chicago Medicine and former member of the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs. “Oral cancers can be serious, but early detection often leads to better patient outcomes.”
The guideline also maintains that a punch or scalpel biopsy followed by histopathological assessment is the preferred and definitive method for diagnosing oral and lip squamous cell carcinoma and oral and lip potentially malignant disorders. When a biopsy is indicated, clinicians should pursue it promptly or refer the patient to a specialist for definitive diagnosis, according to the guideline.
“The most important message for clinicians is that the clinical intra- and extraoral examinations remain the foundation of early detection of oral potentially malignant disorders and oral cancer. Every adult patient should have an updated medical, social and dental history and a thorough clinical exam, whether it's a new patient visit, a routine recall or an emergency appointment,” said Alessandro Villa, D.D.S., Ph.D., ADA Council on Scientific Affairs guideline panel representative, chief of oral medicine, oral oncology and dentistry at Herbert Wertheim Cancer Institute, and professor of surgical sciences at the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine. “For persistent or suspicious oral lesions, a biopsy remains the gold standard for a definitive diagnosis.”
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