Raising Awareness for Oral Cancer
- Father of three Wayne Reimer had what seemed to be a typical toothache that flared up on and off, but when he finally went to the doctor, he learned that it was advanced stage oral cancer.
- After almost losing his life due to the intensity of his 17-hour surgery, the former airport manager is telling his story in the hopes that people get to the dentist for regular check-ups and become more aware about oral cancer screening and symptoms.
- Advocating for yourself and your health is an important step in catching a possible diagnosis early. There are obstacles for both men and women, as men often delay reporting symptoms to their doctor and women, at times, are proven to be dismissed by their physicians.
- Risk factors for developing oral cancer may include tobacco and heavy alcohol use, excessive sun exposure to your lips, a weakened immune system, and the human papillomavirus (HPV), one of the most common sexually-transmitted infections in America.
In a personal essay for Newsweek published on Tuesday, the former airport manager recalled putting off a trip to the doctor by continuously popping aspirin to mask the discomfort and more easily forget about his health issue.
An Aggressive Oral Cancer
Over the course of the next few months, his pain went away and Reimer thought the problem was solved. Suddenly, the pain came back with a heightened intensity. He finally got into his dentist and they performed a much-needed root canal on the bothersome tooth, then found a much more serious situation. Reimer was told he had an “aggressive” cancer and needed to have surgery “as quickly as possible.” He then spent the next month as a “professional patient,” Reimer wrote.At the time of his diagnosis, “oral cancer was not as well understood” and still to this day, many cases are diagnosed at a later stage. As with many other types of cancers, early-stage cases have a much better prognosis.
“One of the ways cancer had kept itself hidden was by numbing other nerves in my mouth and face,” he said. “The pain had gone away for quite a while, but the tumor kept growing.”
An Excruciating Surgery
When Reimer went in for what was supposed to be a five or six-hour surgery, it wound up taking 17. He had to have half of his jaw removed.
“It had been rebuilt using the fibula of my left leg. My teeth had been removed, along with most of the tissue inside my mouth,” Reimer explained, noting that his mouth had to be reconstructed with tissue from his left forearm. “I’d also had a bilateral, raidal neck dissection, and the inferior jugular vein was removed on one side.”
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In other words, an extremely dangerous and complicated surgery. “In recovery, I experienced respiratory arrest, and then a heart attack due to the extreme swelling in my face and neck.”
Reimer was placed into a medically-induced coma for two weeks to heal. “When I slowly returned to consciousness, my wife and the doctors began to explain the extent of my surgery.”
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Shockingly, he recalled his surgeon saying the “easy part is over.” Radiation and what followed proved to be even more intense, as Reimer had to learn how to walk again, how to eat again and how to drink again. He has had 51 surgeries and procedures since.
“Cancer took a great deal from me and from my family,” Reimer said of all he has endured. “We gained much more. I learned how strong and resilient my wife and children truly were. Being beaten by cancer was never in consideration.”
Beating the Odds
Reimer was given a short time to live following his diagnosis nearly 17 years ago — and despite his suffering, is beyond grateful to be here, still cancer-free, to share his incredibly hopeful survival story.
The aviation worker-turned-philanthropist has even donated his time in Honduras, assisting dentists during procedures.
“I beat the odds,” Reimer said, expressing all of the things he is most grateful for.
“I was able to see retirement. I’ve seen all three children meet and marry their spouses. I’ve experienced the incredible joy of seeing four grandchildren born, and delight in being called ‘papa’ by them.”
‘Be Kind to Yourself’ Through Cancer
Reimer concluded with one last plea, “I hope every single person reading this asks their dentist about oral cancer screening during their next visit. It will save lives, and unmeasurable, needless suffering.”
Listening to Your Body
Advocating for yourself and your health is an important step in catching a possible diagnosis early. There are obstacles for both men and women, as men often delay reporting symptoms to their doctor and women, at times, can be dismissed by their physicians.
When it comes to your health, be a little pushy. You know your body better than anyone else. When you see a doctor for a problem, don’t hesitate to make sure that your question is fully answered and that you are comfortable with the plan moving forward. From a doctor’s perspective, every problem should have a diagnosis, a treatment, a plan for follow-up, and a plan for what happens next if the treatment doesn’t work.
As a patient, if you don’t feel like each of these four things has been accomplished, just ask! Even if it requires multiple visits or seeing additional providers for a second opinion, always be your own advocate.
Learning About Risk Factors for Oral Cancer
Risk factors for developing oral cancer may include tobacco and heavy alcohol use, excessive sun exposure to your lips, a weakened immune system, and the human papillomavirus (HPV).
Though not all oral cancer is caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States, there is a link.
“From the 1980s to the 2010s, the rate of HPV-related head and neck cancers has gone up by 300 percent,” Dr. Ted Teknos, a head and neck cancer specialist and president and scientific director of University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center in Cleveland, Ohio, told SurvivorNet during a previous interview.
WATCH: Understanding the human papillomavirus (HPV)
The vast majority of humans in the United States, both men and women, will eventually get infected with HPV, according to Dr. Allen Ho, a head and neck surgeon at Cedars-Sinai.
“The important thing to know about HPV is that there are many different strains, and only a couple of them tend to be more cancer-inducing,” Dr. Ho previously told SurvivorNet during an interview. “Probably less than 1 percent of the population who get infected happen to have the cancer-causing virus that somehow their immune system fails to clear, and over 15 to 20 years it develops from a viral infection into a tumor and cancer.”
While surgery is often required to remove the cancerous cells, other treatments include chemotherapy, radiation, and targeted drug therapies. If the cancer is advanced, some of these treatments can affect a patient’s ability to eat or speak, though it’s possible to regain those functions through rehabilitation therapy.
Symptoms of Oral Cancer
Getting regular health screenings and dental check-ups are crucial in staying ahead of a potential diagnosis, and learning about symptoms to look out for. According to Mayo Clinic, here are some common symptoms for oral cancer:
- A lip or mouth sore that doesn’t heal
- A white or reddish patch on the inside of your mouth
- Loose teeth
- A growth or lump inside your mouth
- Mouth pain
- Ear pain
- Difficult or painful swallowing
While these symptoms may not mean you have mouth cancer, it’s important to take note of any changes to your body or health and to discuss them with your doctor.
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