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fiannotti@planningsource.comDentist James Choy Is First in Hawaii to Use Revolutionary Device to Detect Oral Cancer
Still Only Practice in Honolulu Using Identafi 3000 Ultra To Detect Oral Cancer and Pre-cancer in Dental Patients
KAILUA, HAWAII, May 24, 2010 — Oral cancer is an especially deadly form of cancer if detected late. Kailua's Dr. James J. Choy says too many dentists still are not using an early detection device, whilch can improve a patient's survival rate dramatically.
"One American dies every hour of every day from oral cancer," Choy said. "Because oral cancer often is not caught early, only half of the more than 35,000 Americans who will be diagnosed with oral or pharyngeal cancer this year will be alive in five years."
Choy is the first dentist in the Hawaiian Islands to use the revolutionary oral cancer detection device called Identafi® 3000 ultra, from Houston-based Trimira® LLC.
Identafi 3000 ultra is the world's first and only "multispectral" oral cancer detection device. Its advanced "multispectral" imaging technology, or triple-wavelength spectroscopy, was developed by Trimira in collaboration with The University of Texas, Rice University, and British Columbia Cancer Research Centre in Vancouver, Canada.
Oral cancer is an epidemic. This is the fourth year in a row in which there has been an increase in the rate of occurrence of oral cancers. Indeed, in 2007, the rate spiked by 11 percent. Already the death rate for oral cancer is higher than that of many other cancers — including cervical, thyroid, Hodgkin's lymphoma, testicular, laryngeal, or skin, i.e., malignant melanoma. "Oral cancer is growing at double-digit rates," Choy noted, "despite declines in alcohol and tobacco use. That's why early detection is vital."
Early detection of oral cancer would improve the survival rate to 80-90 percent — yet there has been little improvement in the survival rate over the past 40 years," Choy said. "That's because fewer than 50 percent of those visiting a dentist get screened."
"Oral cancer has become the cancer you can catch," Choy said. "The epidemic increase in oral cancer is, by all indications, attributable at least in part to the spread of HPV-16 via all forms of sexual contact, including oral sex," he said. "Because of the HPV connection, oral cancer increasingly is showing up among young adults."
Choy explained that HPV-related oral cancer lesions tend to occur in the back of the throat, base of the tongue, and tonsillar pillars. "Hence the need for a device like Identafi 3000 ultra, which, in minutes, can detect oral cancer and pre-cancer that would be otherwise invisible to the naked eye." He added: "Like most cancers, cancers of the lip and oral cavity are best treated when found as early as possible."
Choy stressed that adjunctive technology like oral cancer detection devices should be used in conjunction with the American Dental Association's recommended conventional visual and tactile examination of the head, neck, and oral cavity. He noted that the gold standard of ascertaining whether a patient has oral cancer continues to be the biopsy.
"Naturally, it is impractical to do regular biopsies on all dental patients when actually only 10 percent of those have something that is of concern," he added.
Trimira says Identafi 3000 ultra — which was featured recently on The Dr. Oz Show — represents a quantum leap in the visualization of mucosal abnormalities, including cancer or premalignant dysplasia. It delivers a higher degree of clinical accuracy and confidence to users, which, Choy pointed out, translates into better patient care.
The next-generation device employs high-speed, high-resolution optical processing technologies that are changing the diagnostic landscape. Created expressly for intraoral use by dentists, primary-care physicians, periodontists, otolaryngologists, and oral surgeons, the cordless Identafi 3000 ultra is ergonomically shaped and lightweight. It has a nickel-plated design that improves durability and delivers a smooth feel. Portable, the handheld may be readily moved from room to room and patient to patient.
Unlike other methods, Identafi 3000 ultra pinpoints biochemical and morphological changes in cells of the mouth, throat, tongue, and tonsils. In fact, the device's violet wavelength capability was cited in the May 2009 issue of Cancer Prevention Research, the journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, as the best excitation wavelength to discriminate between neoplastic and non-neoplastic tissue areas.
About Trimira LLC
Trimira® LLC is a private capital-funded company, with investment by Dallas cancer research philanthropist T. Boone Pickens, of oil and windfarming fame. Other Trimira® sister subsidiaries are working on screening and diagnostic devices for skin, cervical, gastrointestinal, and bladder cancers. Remicalm®, as the parent company, has licensed exclusive use of certain of its patents and patents pending for use as a cervical cancer product to be later expanded to include additional epithelial-based cancers. Remicalm®'s core technologies are based on high-speed, high-resolution capabilities from its patented optical processing technology platforms and include the ability to read metabolic and physiologic differences in diseased and healthy tissue in the human body.
Visit Trimira® at: http://www.trimira.net/
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