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Loyola offering free oral, head and neck cancer screenings

Free screenings for oral, head and neck cancers will be offered Monday, April 21, at Loyola University Medical Center.

The screenings will be held between 4 and 7 p.m. at Loyola’s Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, 2160 S. First Ave., Maywood. Parking is free, and light refreshments will be served.

Each screening includes an oral exam by a physician. Participants also will receive information on smoking cessation and other lifestyle changes.

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According to the American Cancer Society, this year 40,000 Americans will be diagnosed with cancers of the head and neck, which include cancers of the mouth, throat, salivary glands and thyroid.

Signs and symptoms may include: sores that do not heal; persistent pain; white or red patches in the mouth; difficulty chewing, swallowing or moving the tongue; changes in voice; a lump in the neck; bad breath.

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More than 85 percent of these types of cancers are related to tobacco or alcohol use. Some studies show that up to 80 percent of oropharyngeal cancers are related to the human papillomavirus (HPV).

Screening is provided by Loyola University Health System’s Head & Neck Cancer Program. Registration is recommended, although walk-ins are welcome. For more information or to register, call (888) 584-7888(888) 584-7888.


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