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WEDNESDAY, April 21 (HealthDayNews) -- Free screenings for head and neck cancers will be offered across the United States on April 23 as part of Oral and Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week.

Former star baseball player Brett Butler and the Yul Brynner Head and Neck Cancer Foundation urge Americans to take advantage of these screenings. Early diagnosis and treatment of oral, head and neck cancers improve a person's odds of survival.

Butler was diagnosed with squamous cell cancer of the tonsil in 1996 and was treated with surgery and radiation. He says early diagnosis and prompt treatment save his life.

"Oral, head and neck cancer is usually very treatable when caught in its early stages, giving patients a good chance for survival," Dr. Terry Day, president of the Yul Brynner foundation, said in a prepared statement.

"However, many Americans do not recognize the symptoms of these cancers, which makes screening very important, especially for those who engage in risky behavior such as smoking, use of chewing tobacco and excessive alcohol consumption," Day said.

Common warning signs of oral, head and neck cancer include:

• Red or white patch in the mouth that lasts more than two weeks
• Change in voice or hoarseness that lasts more than two weeks
• Sore throat that does not subside
• Pain or swelling in the mouth or neck that does not subside
• Lump in the neck.

Warning signs that occur during the later stages include ear pain, tongue numbness and difficulty breathing.

More information

Here's a list of the screening sites. Or contact your local doctor, dentist, hospital or community health department to find out if they're taking part in the screening program.

(SOURCE: Yul Brynner Head and Neck Cancer Foundation, news release, April 19, 2004)

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