Sarah Bush Lincoln Ear, Nose and Throat Physician Lori Cudone, MD, is hosting a free educational discussion on head and neck cancer at 11:30 pm Wednesday, March 30, at the LifeSpan Center, Charleston. The public is invited to attend.
Peace Meal is offering a complimentary lunch following a question-and-answer period, but reservations are required to ensure that enough food is prepared. The menu for the day is crusted chicken, candied sweet potatoes, herb peas, pears, dinner roll and orange bread. To make your reservation, please call (217) 258-2420.
April 10 to 16 has been designated nationally as Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week. Dr. Cudone and associates are offering free screening exams to the public from 5:30 to 7:30 pm on Thursday, April 14; and from 7:30 to 11:30 am on Saturday, April 16, at SBL’s ENT Clinic in Mattoon. The screens will check for head and neck cancers, including cancers of the nasal cavity, sinuses, lips, mouth, salivary glands, throat, or larynx (voice box).
The fastest rising types of these cancers are mouth and throat cancer, which account for more than 40,000 cases per year in the U.S. Head and neck cancers account for approximately three percent of all diagnosed cancers in the country. Risk factors for this type of cancer are age, smoking, chewing tobacco, use of alcohol, poor nutrition and the HPV virus. Early detection of suspicious areas in the mouth and tongue can be done routinely at regular dental office visits and by a family doctor.
For more information or to make an appointment for a free cancer exam, call the SBL ENT Clinic at (217) 258-2409. The clinic is located at 1000 Health Center Drive, Suite 401, Mattoon.