'The tumour which was removed was about the size of a peanut. I was very lucky, it had not spread,' said Mr Liew.
It was considered to be early stage cancer. He did not need chemotherapy or radio-therapy.
'All I needed was a once monthly check-up immediately after the operation. Now it's once every three months,' he said.
But in between, he also does his own checks using the DIY screening method.
'I had the operation in 2006 and I need to go for five years cancer free before I can breath easy again,' he said.
Too late
But more often than not, the detection of oral cancers comes too late.
Said Assoc Prof Fan: 'The incidence of mouth cancer is low, about 200 to 300 new cases a year. But it is within the top 10 cancers in Singapore for the Indian population. Up to 50 per cent of people with mouth cancers here die within the first 5 years.'
That is because for many of them, the disease is detected at a late stage.
Chances of recovery are high if the cancer is detected early for treatment.
Up to 85 per cent of early oral cancer patients survive the disease for the first five years while only 20 per cent of late oral cancer patients will survive the first five years.
'Late-stage oral cancer patients will need major surgeries, radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy to battle the cancer.
'Such surgeries may also lead to face disfigurement,' said Assoc Prof Fan.
He also wants people to know that most mouth ulcers should go away within two weeks.
'If it does not go away, seek medical help, because it may be something more serious,' said Assoc Prof Fan.
This is something that Mr Liew is now very aware of.
'I should not have waited so long before going to a dental surgeon,' said the man who has changed all his old habits.
This story was first published in The New Paper on Nov 28, 2008.
