| Facts on Head & Neck Cancer |
This year nearly 70,000 new cases of head and neck cancer will be diagnosed. That includes cancers of the lips, mouth, throat, and voice box. Eighty-five percent of these can be directly linked to tobacco use. Drinking alcohol and using tobacco at the same time more than doubles the risk of developing head and neck cancer. Treatment of head and neck cancer can leave the patient with facial disfigurement and problems talking, swallowing, and breathing.
The use of tobacco products is the #1 cause of head and neck cancer. More than 90% of head and neck cancers can be detected by a simple physical exam, so it is important to see your doctor if you are at risk (i.e. heavy smoker) or if you are experiencing symptoms of head and neck cancer. Some symptoms to look for may include:
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| Tobacco Factoids for Kids |
Tobacco can exist in many forms: cigarettes, cigars, and chewing tobacco and snuff which are also known as spit or smokeless tobacco. All of these forms contain nicotine, a highly addictive drug. Here are some things you should know about tobacco:
- Everyday more than 6,000 teens under the age of 18 years in the U.S. try their first cigarette, and more than 3,000 teens under the age of 18 years become daily smokers. Approximately one-third of these child smokers will eventually die of smoking-related illnesses.
- People who begin smoking at an early age are more likely to develop severe levels of nicotine addiction than those who start at a later age.
- Of teens who have smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime, most of them report that they would like to quit but are unable to do so.
- Seventy percent of teen smokers wish they had never started smoking.
(Source: American Cancer Society. For more information, please refer to www.cancer.org and www.lungusa.org)
Is smoking really cool? Only if by "cool" you mean kids who probably aren't doing well in school. Students with the highest grades are less likely to use tobacco. Kids who smoke have lower self-images. They think smoking will give them a better image- cooler, more attractive, or more popular. Since their self-confidence is low, they don't have the confidence to say no when someone wants them to use tobacco. So now you know the real meaning of "cool," and you can light your own path.
There are two forms of spit tobacco: chewing tobacco and snuff. Chewing tobacco is a smokeless tobacco that is usually sold as leaf tobacco or plug tobacco and is placed between the cheek and gum. Snuff is a powdered tobacco that is put between the lower lip and the gum. Some people think that using smokeless tobacco is a safe alternative to smoking, but that is not true. If you use spit tobacco, here's what you might have to look forward to:
- Cancer. Cancers most frequently occur at the site where the tobacco is held in the mouth. The surgery for this could lead to removal of parts of your face, tongue, cheek, or lip.
- Leukoplakia. A white, leathery patch that can form in your mouth as a result of the tobacco juices. They are early forms of cancer.
- Heart Disease. The constant flow of nicotine into the body can cause many side effects including: increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, and narrowed blood vessels that slow down reaction time- not a good move if you play sports.
- Gum and Tooth Disease. Spit tobacco permanently discolors teeth, and causes bad breath and gum disease.
(Source: Spit Tobacco, American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery)
There are lots of ways to get involved in the smoke-free movement. Whether it's big or small, anything you do can and will make a difference. If you don't know how to get involved, ask your teachers or local community leaders. It's time we made smoking history. Here are a few ways you can help stomp out smoking:
- Don't smoke cigarettes.
- Don't use spit tobacco.
- Help a friend or family member quit.
- Join a local anti-tobacco group.
- Support smoke-free restaurants, movie theatres, malls and other locations
- Tell your brothers, sisters, and friends to stay away from cigarettes.
(For additional information, please refer to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention at www.cdc.gov)
There is some good news. Read the following helpful tips to kick the habit:
- If you don't use tobacco now- DON'T START!
- Think of reasons why you want to quit.
- Know that it will take effort to quit using tobacco.
- Pick a date and throw out all your chewing tobacco, snuff, and cigarettes.
- Ask your friends, family, teachers, and coaches to help you kick the habit by giving you support and encouragement.
- If you use spit tobacco, find alternatives such as sunflower seeds or sugarless gum.
- Find fun activities to keep your mind off of tobacco.
- Remember that everyone is different so develop a personalized plan that works best for you.
| Head & Neck Cancer Outreach Program |
The mission of the Head & Neck Cancer Outreach Program is to enhance our surgical oncology services through:
- Patient Education
- Instructional videos, information booklets, pre-op and post-op teaching by an interdisciplinary team headed by the Clinical Nurse Coordinator
- Volunteer Support, Education, and Rehabilitation
- Volunteers who have been treated for head and neck cancer providing emotional support, information, reassurance, and post-operative rehabilitation. A monthly support group and newsletter offer support and education.
- Community Outreach
- Includes presentations in schools on the effects of alcohol and tobacco, conference for medical professionals on head and neck cancer treatment, free community screenings, and informational presentations at conferences
Volunteer Support, Education, and Rehabilitation
The Head & Neck Cancer Support Group meetings are held the last Thursday of every month from 12-1:30 pm in the Riggs Auditorium on the 2nd floor of the West Complex. Head & Neck Cancer Patients as well as family members, friends, and caregivers are welcome to attend. A light lunch is served. Please contact Amy Lutrell at (434) 924-5781 or Vikki Bravo at (434) 982-4091 if you have any questions.
Larry Haywood and George Visich, two cancer survivors, along with Ellen Desper, RN, have a mission to help kids make smart decisions about alcohol and tobacco use in hopes of preventing head and neck cancer from developing later in life. Reaching out to younger populations is extremely important because, although head and neck cancer represents only about 5 percent of all cancers diagnosed in the United States, they are highly preventable.
The 50-minute classroom demonstration allows time for Larry Haywood, a singer who developed cancer from second-hand smoke during his singing career, George Visich, who developed cancer from using cigarettes and chewing tobacco throughout his life, and Ellen Desper, a nurse with the Department of Otolaryngology, to talk about the facts and the effects of tobacco.
Please contact Suzanne Faulk at (434) 243-6098 if you would be interested in having our team of speakers come to your school.
| Head & Neck Cancer Awareness Week |
Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week is sponsored by the Yul Brynner Head and Neck Foundation, Inc., a not-for-profit organization founded in 1983 by the late Yul Brynner and Dr. George Sisson, the surgeon who was Brynner's doctor.
Each Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week, the foundation's directors aim to spread education, awareness, and support of what they call a "neglected cancer." The event has been endorsed by the American Head and Neck Society, the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and the Society for Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Nurses.
Head & Neck Cancer Awareness Week is typically the third week of April. Please check back in 2003 for an event schedule. Events at the University of Virginia Health System involve a free screening for head and neck cancer. Screenings are free and open to the public.