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No-cost oral, head and neck cancer screenings

Written By: Melissa McDonald, UT Physicians | Updated: March 20, 2019
Ron J. Karni, M.D. screens patients for oral, head and neck cancer. (Photo credit: Dwight C. Andrews, UTHealth)

Ron J. Karni, M.D. screens patients for oral, head and neck cancer. (Photo credit: Dwight C. Andrews, McGovern Medical School)

UT Physicians otorhinolaryngologists (ENT surgeons) are offering no-cost oral, head and neck cancer screenings at three locations across Greater Houston:

UT Physicians Otorhinolaryngology – Texas Medical Center
6400 Fannin St., Suite 2700, Houston, 77030
Thursday, April 11, 2:00 pm-4:00 pm

UT Physicians Otorhinolaryngology – The Woodlands
9200 Pinecroft, Suite 425, The Woodlands, 77380
Thursday, April 11, 2:00 pm-4:00 pm

UT Physicians Otorhinolaryngology – Southeast Houston
11914 Astoria Blvd., Suite 670
Thursday, April 11, 2:00 pm-4:00 pm

The screenings are being offered in observance of Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week, which is April 7-14. No appointments are necessary for the screenings and walk-in patients are welcome. The screenings, which are painless, take about 10 minutes and are performed by faculty members in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth).

Oral, head and neck cancers claim approximately 13,000 lives per year. However, there is hope. If diagnosed early, these cancers can be more easily treated without significant complications and the chances of survival greatly increase.

Who should get tested?

Every adult should be tested. Tobacco and alcohol users traditionally have been considered the populations at greatest risk for these cancers. However, throat cancer cases are on the rise in younger adults who do not smoke and recent research indicates this development is due partly to the increase of the human papillomavirus (HPV) virus. HPV-related oral, head and neck cancers are more difficult to detect because these cancers usually occur on the back of the tongue or on the tonsils, providing even more reason to get screened regularly.

What are the potential warning signs of oral, head and neck cancers?

The signs and symptoms of oral, head and neck cancers often go unnoticed, but there are a few visible signs associated with these cancers that require immediate attention, including:

  • A lump in your neck,
  • A sore in your mouth that doesn’t heal or that increases in size,
  • Persistent pain in your mouth,
  • Lumps or white or red patches inside your mouth,
  • Difficulty chewing or swallowing or moving your tongue,
  • Soreness in your throat or feeling that something is caught in your throat,
  • Changes in your voice (hoarseness)

If you have any of the above warning signs, do not wait for the no-cost screenings. Seek medical attention immediately.

To schedule an appointment with a physician, call 888-4UT-DOCS.

 

As the clinical practice of McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, UT Physicians has locations across the Greater Houston area to serve the community. To schedule an appointment, call 888-4UT-DOCS.