Professor Dr. Filiz Namdar Pekiner

FROM PRECANCEROUS LESIONS TO CANCER IN ORAL MUCOSAL CASES

Oral cancers have a very high morbidity and mortality rate. It is among the eight deadliest cancer types identified by the World Health Organization (WHO). It is seen that the incidence of oral cancers increases with age and more than 95% of the patients are over 40 years old, and it is twice as high in men as in women.

More than 90% of malignancies in this region are squamous cell carcinomas arising from the surface epithelium of the mucosa. Despite the advances in the diagnosis and treatment approaches of oral cancers, half of the patients die in the first five years. The risk of developing oral cancers increases with advancing age; however, it has been reported in recent years that squamous cell carcinoma is frequently detected in patients younger than 40 years of age. It is thought that this frequency increases due to the spread of the habits that constitute the etiological factors equally in women and men in developed societies.

One of the most important features of the mouth is that it has the opportunity to examine by "direct vision", which is not possible in any body cavity. Considering that approximately 90% of oral-perioral and oro-pharyngeal malignancies originate from the epithelium, it becomes even more important not to miss the changes in the entire oral cavity during the examination. Dentists are primarily responsible for the early diagnosis of oral cancers due to the area of study and the "frequency of seeing the patient" due to long-term treatments.

In this presentation, precancerous and oral cancer cases with typical/atypical clinical findings will be evaluated with the latest information for early diagnosis in the clinic.

CURRICULUM VITAE
In 2003, she became in Marmara University as an assistant professor and since 2003, she has been performing doctoral and later on postdoctoral research on oral medicine and oral radiology. In 2007, she is a guest researcher at the Section of DentoMaxilloFacial Radiology Deparment of Radiology, Sunderby Hospital in Lulea, Sweden. She became a professor in 2016. She served as a member of Congress Committee and Central Council, European Academy of DentoMaxillofacial Radiology in 2012. She has over 100 international and national publications on peer-reviewed journals. She is in the editorial and advisory board of some journals on her field.

Objective:
To work in carefully designed and well conducted scientific research carried out in a scientific group.

Education:
Ph.D. Oral Diagnosis and Radiology, University of Marmara, Turkey, 1993-1999
(Please note that in the first four semesters of postgraduate education program of Marmara University, there are mandatory postgraduate courses in each semester. After the end of two years, there is a sufficiency examination that is done for every postgraduate student who is successful at mandatory courses, to let them go along with the program).

DDS. University of Marmara, Turkey, 1986-1991
(Please note that the undergraduate education program of Marmara University is, by law, equal to master’s degree. Following the completion of the undergraduate program, PhD program starts for students that would like to proceed in academic career.)

Experience:
• Professor, 2016
• Associate Professor, Head of Oral Diagnosis and Radiology Department, 2011-2014
• Associate Professor, 2010-2011
• AssistantProfessor,2000-2010
Marmara University, Faculty of Dentistry
Department of Oral Diagnosis and Radiology

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
• International Association of Dentomaxillofacial Radiology.
• European Academy of Dentomaxillofacial Radiology
• Turkish Oral Diagnosis and Maxillofacial Radiology Association.
• Balkan Stomatological Society.
• European Association of Dental Public Health
• European Association of Oral Medicine
• European Society of Head and Neck Radiology