STORY BY
When Steven Cantrell, 43, noticed a “small blister” on his lip, he thought it would go away within a few days. Several years later the blackened and graveled lesion had grown to cover his entire lower lip. During a trip to the emergency room, Cantrell was diagnosed with cancer, but never pursued treatment because he knew he couldn't pay for it.
Humiliated by his own appearance and unable to find work, Cantrell was convinced he would live the rest of his life disfigured by the cancer. “It was difficult going out looking for jobs because of all of the stares I would receive,” says Cantrell, “So, without a job I wasn’t able to afford treatment.”
Cantrell, a smoker since age 10, was unable to do the simple things such as brush his teeth or even smile and ultimately resigned himself to his appearance. “I would stay indoors more and more as the lesion continued to grow because I didn’t want to keep getting weird looks,” Cantrell says.
One fall morning, all that changed. Cantrell lined up for a free day of medical care in Houston sponsored by The Dr. Oz Show, where he was seen by volunteer ear, nose and throat physicians Ron Karni, MD and Tang Ho, MD, otorhinolaryngologists at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth).
“When I first saw Mr. Cantrell, I felt terribly bad for him and could immediately tell what was wrong,” says Karni, assistant professor in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at UTHealth Medical School.
According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), lip cancer is the second most common cancer of the head and neck, and lower lip cancer is nearly 10 times more common than upper lip cancer. A typical sign of lip cancer is a non-healing ulcer or scab on the lip.
To view an animated video
of the reconstructive surgery, click here.
Risk factors for lip cancer include use of tobacco products, heavy alcohol use, overexposure to sunlight and being male. Cancers of the head and neck are more common in men and in people over the age of 50, according to the NCI.
Cantrell's cancer had spread beyond his lip. Karni and Ho explained to Cantrell that he would need to have the cancerous lesions removed from his lip along with thelymph nodes in his neck that were now hosting cancer cells.
The UTHealth medical practice, called UT Physicians, and Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center provided treatment and surgery at no cost to Cantrell. Thanks to the Dr. Oz Show, cancer treatment was provided free of charge by Cancer Centers of America.
Removing the cancer however, came at a much higher price; Cantrell’s entire lower lip had to be replaced.
In a 12-hour procedure, the surgery team worked to transform Cantrell’s appearance. Ho transplanted tissue from Cantrell’s right forearm to create his new lip flap while Karni removed his cancerous bottom lip. The two otorhinolaryngologists are trained in treating cancers of the head and neck, and performing reconstructive surgery to correct the aesthetic appearance of the face.
Less than a week after his surgery, Cantrell was actually smiling. “I am so thankful to be cancer-free now,” says Cantrell, who underwent chemotherapy treatment and will continue to see Ho to monitor the creation of his new bottom lip, which may need revisions over time. “I have three boys that are my life and before my surgery I was scared I would not get to see them grow up.”
“Lip cancer is very treatable if found and detected early,” Karni says. “If you ever spot a lesion in your mouth or on your head or neck that has not healed within two weeks, schedule an appointment with an ear, nose and throat specialist.”
Last Updated: 3-11-2010Editorial Board | Legal Disclaimer | Privacy & Security | Contact Us
© 2000-2010 Office of Institutional Advancement, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Follow us on:
Dr. Ron Karni is an assistant professor in the Department of Otorhinolaryn-gology – Head & Neck Surgery at UTHealth.
Dr. Tang Ho is an assistant professor in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at UTHealth.
Eating healthy
reverses metabolic syndrome
Dr. Tasnime Akbaraly of University College London and her colleagues were interested if healthy eating could actually turn-the-tide and reverse metabolic syndrome, which is having 3 or more of the following risk factors: excess abdominal fat; high triglycerides, hypertension, low levels of HDL the “good” cholesterol, or type 2 diabetes. Having metabolic syndrome doubles a persons’ risk of heart disease and greatly increases the odds of developing type 2 diabetes.
The researchers studied 339 British civil servants with metabolic syndrome, and how closely the adhered to the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) to see if it could help reverse metabolic syndrome. The AHEI is a set of published nutritional guidelines by the Harvard School of Public Health in 2002 that emphasizes whole grains, fruits, vegetables and decreased red meat consumption.
Five years into the study, nearly 50% no longer had metabolic syndrome. People who followed the AHEI guidelines the closest were nearly twice as likely to have reversed their metabolic syndrome. The results of the study were published in Diabetes Care, online July 29, 2010.
Dr. Alice Lichtenstein, an expert on diet and heart health from Tufts University in Boston who was not involved in the study said, "It's not about focusing on individual components of the diet, it's really the whole package, and that becomes important because it means that if one of the components of a healthy diet is to eat more fruits and vegetables, just buying a pill saying that there's a concentrated extract of fruits and vegetables is probably not what's going to help you."
Call and make an appointment with Wellness Coach Sam Hester, CWC, CPT, LWMC, at 713-500-3327. It's confidential and free. For more information on the wellness services provided, visit UT Counseling and WorkLife Services.
