“Squamous cell carcinoma they told me,” the Humboldt man said. “I couldn’t believe it. I was upset.”

According to Lane, the cancer invaded his jaw, back of his tongue, his throat, and lymph nodes. He underwent six weeks of chemotherapy and seven weeks of radiation at the Norma Schmoker Cancer Center.

“Thank God it’s over,” said Lane who had his last treatment on Dec.17, the 21st anniversary of his wife, Deb Stanberg Lane, passing from breast cancer. “That was a big day.”

Oral, head, and neck cancers are twice as likely to be found in men than in women, though they are also diagnosed more often among people over the age of 50 than they are in younger adults.

-Submitted photo
Rod Lane, of Humboldt, loves to ride his motorcycle but after chemotherapy and radiation treatment for squamous cell carcinoma, he sometimes feels that he doesn’t have the strength to.

“Most Americans don’t know the early symptoms of oral, head and neck cancer, and most symptoms are easy to ignore or go completely unnoticed,” said Dr. Sarah Tofilon, medical oncologist at McFarland Clinic, who also practices at UnityPoint Health – Norma Schmoker Cancer Center. “These cancers often go undiagnosed until the later stages, after it has begun to spread. It’s through routine medical or dental exams that early symptoms are often spotted.”

Free screenings for oral, head and neck cancer will be provided from 3 to 6 p.m. April 17 at Iowa Central Community College’s Applied Science Technology building. Providers with UnityPoint Health — Norma Schmoker Cancer Center and the Iowa Central Community College Dental Hygiene program have partnered to provide the painless screenings at no charge.

“I wish I had had screenings like this,” said Lane. “Get checked. Do the screening. I don’t want anyone to have to experience what I’ve gone through.”

According to Tofilon, every adult should be screened for oral, head and neck cancer, especially tobacco and alcohol users as they tend to be at greatest risk. Medical research is also finding that throat cancer cases are on the rise in younger adults who do not smoke due to the increasing rate of infection with human papillomavirus, a potentially cancer-causing infection. Nearly 70 percent of the cases of head and neck cancer diagnosed in the United States this year will be attributed to HPV infection.

“HPV-related throat cancer is more difficult to detect because it usually occurs on the back of the tongue or on the tonsils,” said Tofilon.

-Submitted photo
Rod Lane sits with his younger sister, Jody during one of his treatments at the Norma Schmoker Cancer Center. Lane was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma last year.

The April 17 screenings are available at no cost, are painless, and take approximately 15 minutes. Appointments can be made by calling 515-574-6183. Walk-ins are also welcome.

“I hope everyone takes advantage of the screenings,” said Lane, who is anxiously awaiting results from his PET scan next week. Those results will determine if he is cancer-free or if the squamous cell carcinoma has metastasized. “Don’t wait until it’s too late.”