Oral Cancer Diagnoses Claims Rise 61% Over 4 Years

Recent data released by FAIR Health showed that between 2011 and 2015, privately billed insurance claim lines related to oral cancer diagnoses increased by  61%, with the largest increases reported among throat cancer and tongue cancer diagnoses.

 “Oral cancer is a serious and growing public health problem,” Robin Gelburd, JD, president of Fair Health, said in a statement. “We hope that our data help inform the national conversation on this topic.” 
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Researchers from FAIR Health examined 21 billion privately billed medical and dental claims, and found that oral cancer claims occurred roughly three times as often in males (74%) than females (26%). Among men and women, tongue and throat cancer were more likely to occur in men. However, men and women had similar chances of developing gum cancer and an oral benign tumor that could become cancerous.

According to the data, adults who were 46 years of age and older filed oral cancer claims more frequently. Over the 4-year study period, claims increased for patients 56 to 65 years of age, and decreased in people over the age of 65.

Due to the importance of early detection, the American Dental Association recommends that dentists perform oral cancer screenings routinely at checkups; particularly in patients who use tobacco or consume alcohol heavily. However, FAIR Health data suggests men were much less likely than women to seek preventive dental exams despite their higher risk for oral cancer.

According to the press release, the American Cancer Society estimates that 48,330 Americans will get cancer of the oral cavity or throat in 2016, and roughly 9570 will be fatal cases.

—Julie Gould

Reference:

FAIR Health. Claims Related to Oral Cancer Diagnoses Rise 61 Percent since 2011 [press release]. Published October 2016. Accessed November 1, 2016.