VELscope
Improved Oral Cancer Detection
Did you know that every hour, one person in America dies from oral cancer?
Oral cancer is often (but not always) found in those who use any form of tobacco and the risk increases when combined with alcohol use. Though these contribute to the disease, 25% of oral cancer patients have no known risk factors. Oral Cancer, will be diagnosed in 34,000 Americans this year. The number of cervical cancers that will be diagnosed this year is 10,000, so oral cancer is very serious!
Sometimes symptoms like soreness of the jaw or throat occur, but often there are no symptoms.
Dr. Siegel wants to protect you from the repercussions of oral cancer. He has invested in a state-of-the-art, early detection system. With VELscope, we can discover abnormal and precancerous tissues before they grow into a more serious and hard-to-treat problem. Using fluorescence illumination, VELscope highlights potential malignancies that the naked eye and normal screenings can miss. This technology has been used for years for early detection of lung, skin, colorectal, and cervical cancer. It only takes two to three minutes for the blue light in the handpiece to discriminate between healthy and cancerous tissues.
The oral cancer 5 year survival rate for cancers diagnosed by simple visual appearance is approximately 28%. The VELscope, with its ability to identify precancerous pathology, increases the 5 year survival rate to 90% and helps to avoid invasive disfiguring surgery.
VELscope does not require messy dyes or unpleasant rinses and is cleared by the FDA. Remember, only a surgical biopsy can properly diagnose the presence of oral cancer, but with VELscope, Dr. Siegel can determine in the earliest stages whether to schedule a biopsy. During surgery, VELscope reveals the proper regions to remove. With traditional oral cancer detection methods, oral surgeons can fail to remove entire cancerous masses.
Highlights of VELscope include:
- Fast, only takes two to three minutes
- FDA approved
- Shows precancerous tissues better than traditional oral exams
- No messy dye or rinses
- Painless
- Reveals lesions and problem areas not seen with the naked eye
- Indicates precise surgical margins
Let us help you maintain optimal oral health for a lifetime of smiles. Call our Boca Raton dental office today and make an appointment with Dr. Siegel. We welcome patients from Palm Beach County, Broward County and the surrounding areas.