The State of Mouth Cancer UK Report 2018/2019

The State of Mouth Cancer UK Report 2018/2019 is the United Kingdom's first comprehensive review into mouth cancer.

The report has been released by the Oral Health Foundation and Simplyhealth Professionals as part of November's Mouth Cancer Action Month.

The State of Mouth Cancer UK Report 2018/2019 looks at the very latest statistics for the disease.

This includes new incidence figures, survival rates, where the disease is most likely to appear, as well as trends over time.

The report also looks into the nation's awareness of mouth cancer and how much is known about the risk factors and signs and symptoms of the disease.

Finally, the report covers some key challenges and recommendations for the future. We believe these will have an important impact on the landscape of mouth cancer in the years to come.

A summary of the key findings

  • New cases of mouth cancer in the UK have now reached 8,302 a year.
  • This has increased by 49% in the last decade and by 135% compared with 20 years' ago.
  • 56% of mouth cancers appear on the tongue and tonsils.
  • Last year, 2,722 Brits lost their life the mouth cancer.
  • The ten-year survival rate is between 19% and 58%, depending on where the cancer strikes and how early it is diagnosed.
  • Almost nine in ten (88%) British adults have now heard of mouth cancer. However, only 8% are confident about their knowledge of the disease.
  • Three in four (75%) do not know the major signs and symptoms for mouth cancer.
  • Awareness on the major risk factors of mouth cancer remains low.
  • Better lifestyle choices, earlier diagnosis and improved access to dentistry are some of the key challenges in confronting mouth cancer.
  • Calls for more investment in community dentistry, as well as a catch-up programme for HPV vaccinations.   

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Sharing mouth cancer awareness social media

By posting messages on social media, you can help us to raise awareness of mouth cancer. 

Your posts can engage others and encourage them to find out more information about the disease.

It is so important that we learn more about the risk factors, signs and symptoms and where to go if you spot anything out of the ordinary. By doing this, we can prevent some cases from happening and improve early diagnosis rates.

  • Long lasting ulcers, red or white patches and unusual lumps and bumps are three common warning signs of mouth cancer. A simple check takes only 45 seconds and could be life-saving www.mouthcancer.org #MouthCancerAction #Mouthaware
  • The everyday choices we make can affect our chances of developing mouth cancer. Smoking cigarettes significantly increases your risk of developing the disease. Find out what else increase your risk at www.mouthcancer.org #MouthCancerAction #Mouthaware
  • Regular visits to your dental team are so important. Attending appointments as often as they recommend makes it more likely that any problems will be caught as early as possible, including mouth cancer. #MouthCancerAction #Mouthaware
  • Mouth cancer cases are on the rise, but awareness is dangerously low. Take control and learn how to be #mouthaware at www.mouthcancer.org #MouthCancerAction
  • The earlier a problem is caught, the easier it tends to be to tackle. Mouth cancer is no exception. The smaller the affected area, the better the chances are of a full recovery. If in doubt, get checked out! www.mouthcancer.org #MouthCancerAction #Mouthaware

Please download and use the infographic below to share along with your post. More graphics can be downloaded from our mouth cancer resources area.

Useful links:

Mouth Cancer Action Month is sponsored by Simplyhealth Professionals and in association with the Mouth Cancer Foundation.

We are proud and delighted to be working alongside both our partners. Their commitment and passion for raising awareness of mouth cancer is vital to the success of our campaign. 

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Author: George Bushell

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