VELscope™ aids in the early visualization of mucosal diseases
The VELscope™ is a revolutionary hand-held device that offers Dentists and Hygienists an easy-to-use adjunctive screening instrument for early detection. Its technology platform is based on the direct visualization of tissue fluorescence and the changes in fluorescence that result when abnormal cells are present. This technology helps the clinician differentiate between healthy and abnormal cells starting at the basal membrane through to the tissue surface.
LED Dental Inc. developed the VELscope™ in cooperation with the British Columbia Cancer Agency and its affiliated US partners.
The VELscope provieds a more effective oral cancer screening protocol with immediate benefits for the patient. When used in combination with traditional oral cancer examination procedures, the VELscope™ facilitates the discovery and visualization of mucosal abnormalities prior to surface exposure. In less than 5 minutes, the VELscope™ screening procedure helps oral healthcare professionals assure their patients that the best standard for oral cancer screening has been utilized.
The Oral Cancer Foundation reports over 350,000 new cases of oral or pharyngeal cancer each year worldwide...
Why do we recommend yearly VELscope exams?
1. The mortality rate for oral cancer remains unchanged.
The mortality rates associated with oral cancer have not changed in over 30 years due in part to the limitations light inspection of the oral cavity.3 Traditional examination for oral cancer by a clinician detects visible changes on tissue surface. Unfortunately, the cellular changes that lead to oral cancer actually start below the surface at the membrane. These changes may not be visible to the naked eye until the disease progresses to the surface.
2. If caught early, 90% of cases are curable.
Oral cancer is often curable when detection, diagnosis, and treatment are performed early. This means detecting mucosal abnormalities at or before Stage 1 cancer. Early detection of potentially malignant lesions and accurate identification of biopsy locations are significant factors in decreasing patient morbidity and mortality associated with oral cancer. Oral cancer is often curable when detection, diagnosis, and treatment are performed early. This means detecting mucosal abnormalities at or before Stage 1 cancer. Early detection of potentially malignant lesions and accurate identification of biopsy locations are significant factors in decreasing patient morbidity and mortality associated with oral cancer.
3. In the past three decades there has been a 60% increase in oral cancer in adults under the age of 40.
Risk factors for oral cancer include tobacco use, frequent alcohol consumption, a compromised immune system, a past history of cancer, and the presence of the Human Papillion Virus (HPV). Alarmingly, 25% of newly diagnosed cases of oral cancer do not the fit high-risk profile.8 Therefore, all patients over the age of 18 should be screened annually for oral cancer.
4. Early screening, diagnosis, and treatment planning for oral cancer will save lives.
The ideal process of screening for oral cancer would make it possible for clinicians to accurately identify cellular changes below the surface at the basal membrane before mucosal abnormalities become visible under white light examination. It has to be simple, easy to incorporate into routine preventive hygiene appointments, complimentarywith other treatments, and noninvasive.
We are commited to your health and well being. Ask us about VELscope at your next visit.