Prisma Health will over free head and neck cancer screenings on Friday, April 17, as part of Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month. The screenings will take place at Prisma Health Baptist, 1501 Sumter St., Columbia, from 8 a.m. to noon.
Sponsored by the Head and Neck Cancer Alliance, medical specialists will exam participants for oral and neck cancers ranging from the mouth and throat to the sinuses and nasal cavity. The painless, non-invasive screenings will take about 10 minutes following a brief medical history review.
Appointments are not required, but registration is encouraged.
Each April, the nationwide awareness initiative aims to educate communities about the importance of early detection. Last year, the National Cancer Institute estimated nearly 73,000 Americans would be diagnosed with major head and neck cancers with about 17,000 of those expected to die from the diseases.
More information about the free screenings and other important resources can be found on Prisma Health's website.