{"id":3373,"date":"2026-04-15T13:22:44","date_gmt":"2026-04-15T18:22:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ufcw663.org\/blog\/?p=3373"},"modified":"2026-04-15T14:13:46","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T19:13:46","slug":"april-is-oral-cancer-awareness-month","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ufcw663.org\/blog\/2026\/04\/15\/april-is-oral-cancer-awareness-month\/","title":{"rendered":"April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month\u2014a time to highlight the risks, early signs, and importance of early detection. Oral cancer affects more than 50,000 people in the U.S. each year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Oral cancer typically begins in the squamous cells that line the mouth and throat. The cells undergo genetic mutations that cause them to grow uncontrollably. Cancer can develop in the lips, tongue, gums, inner cheeks, floor and roof of the mouth, tonsils, or the base of the tongue. The most common causes of oral cancer are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Tobacco use<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Alcohol consumption<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>HPV infection<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sun exposure<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Poor oral hygiene<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Oral cancer can be deadly because it is often detected at later stages when the disease is advanced. Early symptoms can be subtle or mistaken for benign issues like mouth sores or infections. Late-stage diagnosis has a five-year survival rate of 60%, compared to 80-90% when caught early. Survivors of oral cancer may be affected long-term with challenges such as facial disfigurement, difficulty eating or speaking, dry mouth, and increased cavity risk due to treatment effects like surgery or chemotherapy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Oral cancer can present a wide range of symptoms. Some symptoms are subtle and may resemble common mouth issues, which is why early detection can be difficult. Common symptoms include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Mouth sore<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mouth pain or swelling<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lump or thickened area in the mouth, cheek, or neck<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Difficulty chewing or swallowing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Numbness in the tongue or mouth<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Loose teeth<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Persistent bad breath<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bleeding in the mouth or throat<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Early detection of oral cancer greatly improves treatment outcomes. Many early signs are painless or easy to overlook, so performing a quick self\u2011exam once a month can help you catch changes early. It is critical to contact a dentist or physician if you notice symptoms lasting more than 2 weeks and highly recommended to schedule an exam if it&#8217;s been more than a year since your last dental check\u2011up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a Local 663 member, you have access to TEAM, an employee assistance provider, at no cost to you. (800) 634-7710 | <a href=\"http:\/\/www.startwithteam.com\"><strong>www.startwithteam.com<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To ensure you receive all pertinent information, please update your address with the Fund Office, Wilson-McShane Corporation, when you move. To update your information, you may access the Change of Personal Information Form from the website&nbsp;<strong>www.663benefits.com.<\/strong> You may also call (952) 851-5797 or toll-free (844) 468-5917 to request a Change of Information Form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An annual meeting of the Minneapolis Meat Cutters &amp; Food Handlers Properties, Inc. shall be held on May 4, 2026, at 11:30 a.m. at its corporate headquarters located at 6160 Summit Drive North, Suite 600, Brooklyn Center, Minnesota 55430. The purpose of the meeting will be to elect directors to hold office until the next annual meeting and to conduct such other business as may be brought before the membership at such meeting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month\u2014a time to highlight the risks, early signs, and importance of early detection. Oral cancer affects more than 50,000 people in the U.S. each year. Oral cancer typically begins in the squamous cells that line the mouth and throat. The cells undergo genetic mutations that cause them to grow uncontrollably. &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ufcw663.org\/blog\/2026\/04\/15\/april-is-oral-cancer-awareness-month\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":3376,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[393],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v19.13 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month - UFCW 663<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ufcw663.org\/blog\/2026\/04\/15\/april-is-oral-cancer-awareness-month\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month - UFCW 663\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month\u2014a time to highlight the risks, early signs, and importance of early detection. 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