Expanding the role of the dentist in the detection of oral and laryngeal cancer

The clinical symptoms of 1,000 patients with head and neck cancer were reviewed according to primary tumor location. The technique of indirect mirror examination of the larynx, by which dentists can detect carcinomas in that area, is described. The clinical symptoms at the initial examination of 1,000 patients with carcinomas of the oral cavity and larynx were evaluated. A review of the histories of these patients revealed that the dentist played an active role in the early detection of cancers of the palate, alveolar ridge, gingiva, and floor of the mouth. His role was less evident in detection of tumors of the tongue and was negligible in early detection of tonsillar and laryngeal neo-plasms. A technique of examination is explained by which the dentist can contribute greatly to early detection of cancer of the larynx and of those areas in the oral cavity not easily seen by direct vision.