Oral Cancer Awareness!

Let’s Talk About Oral Cancer: Prevention Starts with Awareness!

#OralCancerAwareness #IHCMarkers #EarlyDetection #HealthFirst #PreventiveCare #OralCancer

Oral cancer might not be the first thing you think about when it comes to health, but it’s important to keep an eye on your mouth! It can develop in places like your lips, gums, tongue, and throat – and catching it early is key to better outcomes.

The Power of Prevention Early detection is your superpower! Regular check-ups, self-exams, and keeping those oral habits in check can help catch things before they go rogue. Greater than 90% of cancers in the oral cavity are squamous cell carcinoma.

Now, when it comes to diagnosing oral cancer, immunohistochemistry (IHC) plays a critical role in identifying specific markers that help pathologists classify and stage the disease. Some key IHC markers include:

• p16: Identifies HPV-associated oral cancers, which are important to spot early for better treatment options although pathologists have been advised not routinely perform high risk HPV testing on patient with non-oropharyngeal primary head and neck tumors .

• Ki-67: Measures cell proliferation, with higher levels indicating more aggressive cancer.

• Cytokeratins AE1/AE3 and CK5/6, p40, and p63: the expression of cytokeratins and p40, p63 by tumor cells can signal tumor invasion, helping to assess the aggressiveness of the cancer and support epithelial origin in poorly differentiated tumors.

• p53: Mutations or overexpression of p53 often indicate poor prognosis, highlighting the need for quick intervention.

So, keep smiling, keep checking, and keep that mouth in check. After all, you deserve a healthy, happy grin!