The Karmanos Cancer Institute at McLaren Port Huron, part of the statewide Karmanos Cancer Network anchored by the National Cancer Institute-designated Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit, is hosting a free oral cancer screening open to the public.
Screenings will be performed at the Karmanos Cancer Institute at McLaren Port Huron (1221 Pine Grove Ave.) on Mon., Sept. 16 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Oral cancer is the fastest growing form of cancer, with more than 54,000 diagnoses in Michigan last year. Through a painless, noninvasive screening, health care professionals can see or feel pre-cancerous tissue that may indicate the presence of cancer.
Participants with an abnormal finding will be referred to a nurse navigator for a follow-up with a physician.
“The very nature of oral cancers, in that it can affect anyone and originate from a viral infection that can go unnoticed, makes this a vital screening applicable to everyone,” said Pat Keigher, Regional Director of Cancer Services for the Karmanos Cancer Institute at McLaren Port Huron. “This screening is five minutes that could make a big impact on the lives of many.”
Oral cancers originate from the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), which can infect a patient without them being aware of it and without presenting any symptoms.
Additional risk factors can increase a patient’s risk of developing the cancer, which include:
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Tobacco/Alcohol use
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Prolonged sun exposure
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Gender (men are more likely to develop)
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Race (African Americans are more likely to develop)
Screenings are available by appointment only, and spots are limited. To make an appointment, call (810) 989-3199.
Learn more about the cancer services offered at the Karmanos Cancer Institute at McLaren Port Huron at karmanos.org/porthuron.
About McLaren Port Huron
McLaren Port Huron is a 186-bed non-profit hospital located in Port Huron, Michigan, with a strong history of providing quality, compassionate care to residents living in St. Clair and Sanilac counties. It has earned repeated recognition for both clinical excellence and patient safety from nationally renowned health care rating organizations. McLaren Port Huron provides a full range of services, including cardiovascular care, award-winning cancer services through the Karmanos Cancer Institute, orthopedic services, and general, bariatric and robotic-assisted surgeries. The hospital is nationally verified as a Level III Trauma Center and operates the busiest Emergency Department in St. Clair County. Other services include family birthing services and the only accredited sleep center in the region. In addition to its main campus in Port Huron, the hospital operates community health centers in Marysville, Yale, Lexington, and St. Clair. Learn more at mclaren.org/porthuron.
About McLaren Health Care
McLaren Health Care, headquartered in Grand Blanc, Michigan, is a $6.6 billion, fully integrated health care delivery system committed to quality, evidence-based patient care and cost efficiency. The McLaren system includes 13 hospitals in Michigan, ambulatory surgery centers, imaging centers, a 640-member employed primary and specialty care physician network, commercial and Medicaid HMOs covering more than 732,838 lives in Michigan and Indiana, home health, infusion and hospice providers, pharmacy services, a clinical laboratory network and a wholly owned medical malpractice insurance company. McLaren operates Michigan’s largest network of cancer centers and providers, anchored by the Karmanos Cancer Institute, a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers. McLaren has 28,000 full-, part-time and contracted employees and more than 113,000 network providers throughout Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. Learn more at mclaren.org.