Diagnosis in Oral Cancer: challenges for the general practitioner

There is a drive in the NHS for early diagnosis.  If this is to be achieved, practitioners must be able to recognise cancers.  The problem is that a practitioner holds about 50,000 consultations before a head and neck cancer is identified.  In law this is not accepted as a reason to overlook a cancer.  The aim is to demonstrate tumours that regularly present a diagnostic challenge and arise repeatedly in medico-legal disputes. 

Topics addressed include:

• Real incidence of head and neck cancers
• Improving early recognition
• Relationship of delay to survival
• Avoiding errors
• Examination technique
• Referral process
• Complications and morbidity of treatment
• Outcomes

On completion you should be familiar with techniques to help identify most tumours in the head and neck.