Actress Colleen Zenk Pinter, who plays Barbara Ryan on the CBS soap opera "As the World Turns", announced that she’s been involved in a real-life drama of her own, fighting oral cancer.

The two time oral cancer survivor was shocked by her initial oral cancer diagnosis because she does not use tobacco products or drink alcohol, 2 cancer causing toxins that can lead to oral cancer development.  Oral cancer often first appears as a white or red lesion, visible to the naked eye that exists for more than 2 weeks. Patients may also feel tenderness or pain in the mouth that lasts longer than two weeks, or detect a lump in the mouth, among other possible early warning signs of oral cancer. Pinter shared, “My dentist missed the lesion during my routine dental check up.  I thought that I had a common canker sore under my tongue, which initially went away. I became concerned when it came back and persisted. I decided to see my medical doctor who immediately referred me to a specialist the next day. To my surprise, the specialist diagnosed the lesion not as a canker sore but oral cancer”.  Colleen has had multiple surgeries to treat her oral cancer including removal of part of her tongue, followed by reconstruction of her tongue, and then insertion of radioactive beads in her tongue.  Pinter proudly declared at the New York Emmy’s that she is now cancer-free.

Although we don’t hear much about oral cancer in the media, this type of cancer actually claims an average of one American life every hour, and it’s overall the sixth most-prevalent form of cancer. When diagnosed very early, it is relatively easy to treat and cure. Organizations like The American Dental Association as well as The Oral Cancer Foundation are urging dental professionals to actively screen patients for oral cancer at least once per year as a part of a routine checkup and cleaning visit and twice a year for those with predisposing risk factors, such as tobacco use (including chewing tobacco), heavy drinking or a family history of cancer to find these cancers early enough to help save lives.

After performing a visual exam, your dentist may offer a brush biopsy test called Oral CDx if a visible red or white lesion is detected in the mouth.  Much like a PAP Smear, a brush is smeared over the suspicious lesion to capture the cells.  This process is usually painless.  The cells are smeared and fixed onto a glass plate and sent to a diagnostic lab to determine if the cells are normal or abnormal.  If the lab report determines that the cells are abnormal with the Oral CDx smear, like Colleen, patients are immediately referred to a specialist for further diagnosis and treatment.  The latest technology available for oral cancer diagnosis however is ViziLite Plus.  A ViziLite Plus exam takes less than five minutes, and is also safe and painless. Here’s how it works.  The patient swishes with a special mouth rinse.  Then the dentist examines the patient’s mouth using the ViziLite Plus glow stick.  The glow stick highlights oral abnormalities and lesions not normally visible to the naked eye.  If abnormalities are detected, the dentist highlights them with a blue dye and immediately refers the patient to a medical specialist for further diagnosis and treatment.

This year Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week is April 13th through the 19th.  If you or a loved one has any risk factors for cancer, contact your dental professional about getting a quick and painless oral cancer exam.  If you currently do not have a dentist or insurance to pay for an exam, contact the following sites in the New York area that will be offering free screenings April 13th through the 19th in observance of Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week:

• Long Island College Hospital • New York University College of Dentistry • Memorial-Sloan Kettering Cancer Center • Columbia University School of Dental and Oral Surgery • JFK Medical Center • Long Island Jewish Medical Center  • New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation • NY County Dental Society • NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene • NYU College of Dentistry • Queens County Dental Society • Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital • Second District Dental Society of New York • St. Barnabas Hospital • St. Joseph's Medical Center

For more information please contact these testing sites in advanced.  Remember, early detection is key.  A routine visit can not only keep you healthy, but can truly save your life.