Dr. Karl Studtmann practices with Dr. Keith Wainscott at West Tennessee ENT Clinic, 619 Skyline Drive. Besides treating ear, nose and throat conditions, they also specialize in facial plastic surgery and in treating head and neck cancer, allergy problems and sleep disorders.
For an appointment, call
731-424-3682 or
800-372-8394.
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Smokers at risk for head, neck cancers
The good news, says Dr. Karl Studtmann, is that the number of adults who smoke or use tobacco is decreasing. The bad news is that he is seeing an increase in throat and other cancers.
“About 99 percent of head/neck cancer is caused by tobacco use,” says Dr. Studtmann, an ear, nose and throat specialist with the West Tennessee ENT Clinic. In his practice, he is diagnosing cancers occurring on the lips and inside the mouth to the throat, vocal chords and esophagus.
It’s encouraging that new treatment methods are increasing the survival rates from these cancers, he says. The downside to that, though, is that survivors of these cancers often give up quality of life because they can’t taste food, or swallow food or even talk.
Switching from smoking to chewing tobacco doesn’t decrease the chances of getting cancer either, he says. “It’s like going from lying down in the middle of Interstate 40, getting up, and lying back down in the middle of Interstate 65.”
Early detection does increase survival rates and lessen quality of life issues, he adds. He encourages people to visit their physicians if they have any of the following symptoms…
• Chronic hoarseness.
• Dry mouth.
• Trouble swallowing.
• A bump or lump that won’t go away.
• A sore in the mouth or on the tongue that won’t go away.
• Unexplained weight loss.
“Treatments for cancer have better results,” he says, “but the side effects are unpleasant. Life isn’t much fun afterwards.”