Tony Gwynn, the greatest player in San Diego Padres history, died at age 54 after an extended battle with salivary gland cancer. With more than 3,100 hits in his two-decade career, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007.
Salivary gland cancers are not very common, according to the American Cancer Society. They make up less than 1% of cancers in the United States and occur at any age, but become more common as people get older. Overall about 72% of those diagnosed with salivary gland cancer are still alive at least 5 years after being diagnosed.
Dental examinations are the first line of defense for oral cancer. At Gallery57Dental our hygienists perform an oral cancer screening at each visit as well as our doctors at every check up.
