Bad breath may be cancer red flag as expert explains early signs of deadly disease

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Bad breath could be an early sign of head and neck cancer, according to a leading expert. Tumours affecting the mouth, nose and throat are growing in prevalence.

However, these cancers sometimes do not have noticeable warning signs, as symptomless infection can trigger the disease. As many as 12,000 people across the UK are diagnosed with head and neck cancer every year, according to Cancer Research UK, with case rates increasing by around a third since the early 1990s.Despite the signs often going unnoticed or being mistaken for other, less serious conditions, there are some "red flags" that should be kept an eye on.

According to Dr Jiri Kubes, medical director of leading cancer treatment facility Proton Therapy Center, an unusual sign of the disease is smelly breath.The expert explained: “Head and neck cancer is the one of the fastest-growing types of cancer in the world and an early diagnosis can make a major difference to the chances of defeating it.“Some of the early symptoms can easily be mistaken for other common ailments, so it’s important to be aware of any changes to your body and address any concerns.“Many people suffer from bad breath from time to time, but it could be an early warning sign of cancer and should be closely monitored.“A persistent sore throat that lasts more than two weeks is also one of the lesser-known symptoms of head and neck cancer.”Early diagnosis is important when it comes to head and neck cancer, as well as other types of the disease.

According to the expert, there is currently a 90 per cent chance of survival if head and neck cancer is diagnosed early.Experts say there’s currently a 90 per cent chance you’ll survive head and neck cancer if you’re diagnosed early.