BC Cancer Agency brings new mobile oral cancer screening clinics to the Downtown Eastside

In an effort to reach out to communities most at-risk for oral cancer, the BC Cancer Agency, an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority, is bringing a new mobile screening program to the streets of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside (DTES).

“We’re taking a pro-active approach and screening for oral cancer in populations of people more likely to get this cancer,” said Health Minister George Abbott. “The chances of survival are greatly increased if the cancer is detected early and rapidly treated.”

The idea for mobile screening clinics came as result of research and meetings with community groups from the area to understand how to make oral cancer screening accessible for those who are most vulnerable.

“One in 10,000 British Columbians is diagnosed with oral cancer annually, but the incidence rate is alarmingly higher for residents of the Downtown Eastside, where one in 150 suffers from oral cancer,” says Dr. Catherine Poh, Outreach Program Leader, BC Cancer Agency’s Oral Cancer Prevention Program (BCOCPP), and Assistant Professor, Dentistry, University of British Columbia. “There is an urgent need to reach out to this community with strategies that will help prevent and identify disease at early stages when it is easier to treat.”

“We learned that a majority of residents are not used to traveling far from the area where they reside, even if it’s a short distance,” says Dr. Poh. “It was clear that we needed to create a comfortable and safe environment for them to come to get screened.”

“Our goal is to make access to screening easy,” says Dr. Miriam Rosin, Director of the BCOPP. “The mobile screening service is a tailored approach to meet the needs of a very diverse community, with many individuals facing unique barriers to accessing health services.”

The BC Cancer Agency will partner with community groups within the DTES to set up free, drop-in mobile screening clinics and hold education sessions in locations frequented by high-risk groups. The LifeSkills Centre at the Portland Hotel Society (PHS) is the first partner in this initiative.

“Our partnership with the BC Cancer Agency is helping to meet the needs of people who typically don’t access mainstream health services,” says Liz Evans, Executive Director, PHS Community Services Society, which operates the LifeSkills Centre. “It is important to bring dignity and a sense of respect to those who would otherwise go without this service.”

Patients who take part in the mobile screening clinics will receive a head and neck exam, followed by an examination with a hand-held blue light device that aids in detecting pre-cancerous and cancerous lesions that are sometimes not readily visible to the naked eye. If any abnormalities are detected, they will be referred quickly for further follow-up and treatment.

The mobile screening service expands on a pilot outreach project offered by the BC Cancer Agency’s Oral Cancer Prevention Program – a fixed oral cancer screening clinic at the Portland Community Dental Clinic in the Downtown Eastside, led in partnership with the University of British Columbia.

“We are very pleased with the success of our fixed screening clinic, which now runs twice a month. The mobile screening clinic is an important addition to this community service, providing access to oral cancer screening to those who do not visit the dental clinic,” says Dr. Poh.

There are a number of reasons why many residents in the DTES are at increased risk for oral cancer, including heavy tobacco and alcohol consumption (established risk factors for this disease), compromised immune function, poor nutrition and oral hygiene, and limited access to medical and dental care.

This outreach of the BC Cancer Agency’s Oral Cancer Prevention Program is supported by the BC Cancer Foundation. Dr. Poh is also supported by a Scholar Award from the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research, and a Clinician Scientist Award from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

The BC Cancer Agency, an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority, is committed to reducing the incidence of cancer, reducing the mortality from cancer, and improving the quality of life of those living with cancer. It provides a comprehensive cancer control program for the people of British Columbia by working with community partners to deliver a range of oncology services, including prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment, research, education, supportive care, rehabilitation and palliative care. The BC Cancer Foundation raises funds to support research and enhancements to patient care at the BC Cancer Agency.

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