Surgeons warn of mouth cancer diagnosis delay risk
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- Published: Thursday, 01 December 2016 07:55
- Written by Tony Jacobs
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People with suspected mouth cancer are having their diagnosis delayed because they are first referred to a dentist, surgeons have warned. But experts from the British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (BAOMS) warn that this can slow down the process for diagnosing people with cancer, and say they should see a hospital specialist within two weeks.
Guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) says people with a lump in their mouth or who have a red or white patch in their mouth should be sent for “assessment for possible oral cancer by a dentist” within two weeks of seeing their GP.
But experts from the British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (BAOMS) warn that this can slow down the process for diagnosing people with cancer, and say they should see a hospital specialist within two weeks. Writing in the British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (BJOMS), they said around one in nine patients could have their diagnosis delayed due to the current guidance, which was updated in 2015 following earlier guidance in 2005.
Lead author, and British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (BAOMS) fellow in training, David Grimes said the Nice guidance “may expose patients to increased risk of delayed referral because there is no clear referral pathway between doctors and dentists for suspected cancer”.
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