About Oral Cancer
Most people are surprised to learn that one American dies every hour from oral cancer; a death rate that has remained virtually unchanged for more than 40 years. In fact, recent statistics published by the American Cancer Society indicate that while the incidence and death rates for cancers overall has decreased, the incidence of oral cancer has increased by 5.5% and the death rate has increased by 1.5%
Oral cancer is far too often discovered in late stage development, the primary reason for the consistently high death rate. Oral cancer treatment often results in disfiguring effects on patients, and can seriously compromise their quality of life. Early detection and diagnosis can make a tremendous difference in life expectancy; oral cancer is 90% curable when found in its early stages. Unfortunately, 70% of oral cancers are diagnosed in the late stages, III and IV, leading to a five-year survival rate of 57%.
THE DEADLY STATISTICS
- Every hour of every day, one American dies of oral cancer.
- The mortality rate associated with oral cancer has not improved significantly in the last 40 years.
- The death rate in the United States for oral cancer is higher than that of cervical cancer, Hodgkin's disease, cancer of the brain, liver, testes, kidney, or ovary.
- More than 30,000 Americans will receive an oral cancer diagnosis this year. In five years, only 57% will still be alive.
- 27% of oral cancer victims do not use tobacco or alcohol and have no other lifestyle risk factors.
ViziLite Plus as part of a comprehensive oral screening
Oral cancer is one of the most curable diseases when it's caught early. That's why the ViziLite Plus exam has been developed. ViziLite Plus uses technology that has proven successful in identifying soft tissue abnormalities in other areas of the body. A ViziLite Plus exam is particularly important if you are at increased risk for developing oral cancer.
The ViziLite Plus exam can help your dentist or hygienist identify abnormal tissue, that might develop into oral cancer.
An annual ViziLite Plus exam, in combination with a regular visual examination, provides a comprehensive oral screening procedure for patients at increased risk for oral cancer. The ViziLite Plus exam is painless and fast, and could help save your life.
ViziLite Plus is performed immediately following a regular visual examination
- First, you will be instructed to rinse with a cleansing solution
- Next, the overhead lighting will be dimmed.
- Then, your dental professional will examine your mouth using ViziLite Plus, a specially designed light technology.
Who should have a ViziLite Plus exam?
The American Cancer Society recommends that patients have a complete soft tissue examination (standard visual exam) at least once a year.
ViziLite Plus is used as part of an annual oral screening for patients at increased risk for oral cancer. Your dental professional may recommend a ViziLite Plus examination more frequently depending on your individual risk factors.
Oral Cancer Risk by Patient Profile:
Increased Risk:
Patients age 18-39 with no lifestyle risk factors
High Risk:
Patients age 40 and older with no risk factors OR patients age 18-39 with lifestyle risk factors
Highest Risk:
Patients age 40 and older with lifestyle risk factors or patients with a history of oral cancer
Risk Factors:
Lifestyle risk factors for oral cancer include:
- Tobacco use (any type, any age, within 10 years)
- Alcohol consumption of at least 1 drink per day (3 ounces of hard liquor, 4 ounces of wine, or 12 ounces of beer)
Other risk factors:
- Immune deficiencies such as HIV & AIDS
- Human Papilloma Virus, particularly HPV 16/18
Benefits and Expectations
- When oral cancer is found at the earliest stage, treatment is quicker, simpler, less involved, and more then 90% successful! When oral cancer is diagnosed in late stage, treatment is expensive, disfiguring and has a poor survival rate.
- ViziLite Plus is a technology used by your dental professional to assist in the early detection of abnormal tissue in your mouth.
- ViziLite Plus helps your dental professional see abnormal tissue that is not visible during a regular exam.
- At the conclusion of a ViziLite Plus exam, following a standard visual exam, you can be confident you have received the most comprehensive oral cancer screening available.
So, your ViziLite Plus exam is positive. Now what?
Important answers to questions about ViziLite Plus exams.
Q: What does it mean that my ViziLite Plus exam results were positive?
A: It means that during the visual portion of your oral exam, your health care provider saw something that didn’t look entirely normal.
Q: Is a positive ViziLite Plus result bad news?
A: Not necessarily. ViziLite Plus identifies oral abnormalities including serious abnormailites such as oral cancer. However, ViziLite Plus will also identify benign abnormalities. Your dental provider will first rule out trauma (cheek bites, food irritations, etc.) as a cause of the abnormality. You may be recalled for further evaluation. If, at the time of your re-evaluation, your dental provider is not 100% certain that the abnormality is benign, you will likely be referred to a specialist for further assessment.
Q: What causes a positive result on a ViziLite Plus exam?
A: For a description of how ViziLite Plus works, click here.
Q: What should I be doing until my next ViziLite Plus exam?
A: The first thing is, don’t worry over the first positive reading. You should continue to practice good health measures. Your mouth responds to positive lifestyle changes like avoiding cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, and alcohol. It’s OK to continue to eat the foods that you normally do; however, try to eliminate foods that can irritate and scratch the inside of your mouth, tongue, and cheeks – such as nuts or hard candies – until after your next exam.
Q: Where can I go to get more information about oral health issues?
A: Your health care professional is always an excellent source of information. In addition, you may want to visit the Oral Cancer Foundation website at www.oralcancerfoundation.org for more information.
ViziLite Plus Insurance Coverage
Your medical and dental insurance benefits should not dictate the standard of care that you receive from a dental professional. This is especially important for screening procedures, such as the ViziLite Plus examination. Dentists that offer ViziLite Plus exams to their patients want their patients to receive the highest quality standard of care available.
Dental Insurance
The American Dental Association has established a dental insurance procedure code that applies to the ViziLite Plus exam. This code is the CDT-5 D0431 code. Be sure to verify that your dentist has submitted a claim for this specific procedure and code. Your dental plan may cover this procedure and both you and your dentist may not be aware of it.
Medical Insurance
Your medical insurance company may also cover the ViziLite Plus exam. There are medical insurance codes that have also been used to obtain insurance reimbursement for the ViziLite Plus exam. These codes are CPT code 82397 for "chemiluminescent assay" and ICD-9 code, V76.42, which refers to a “special screening for malignant neoplasms, oral cavity”. Either you or your dentist can submit medical claims to your medical insurance company. Your medical insurance company can provide you with a claim form.
MSA/HSA Option
Medical Spending Accounts or MSAs, if offered by your employer, are an excellent option to use for reimbursement of your ViziLite Plus examination. Healthcare Savings Accounts, HSAs, can also be an option for reimbursement of your annual ViziLite Plus exam. In any case, be sure to get documentation of the ViziLite Plus exam from your dental office and submit a copy of this, along with your receipt, for reimbursement.
What if my claim is denied?
Zila Pharmaceuticals has also prepared sample appeal letters for you to send to your insurance company in the event that your submission for reimbursement has been denied. Simply download the letter by clicking here (or request a letter by calling 866.945.2776), add your information to the letter, and forward it to your insurance company.
Other important considerations
It is also strongly recommended that you communicate to your employer the importance of the ViziLite Plus examination. Then ask whether your employer's dental and/or medical benefits cover the ViziLite Plus exam. Your input is very influential with your employer and could influence the coverage decisions that are made in conjunction with your employer's dental and medical insurance companies. If you prefer to send a letter to your employer, click here to download a letter template, add your information, and then forward to your employer.