Cancer Agency
For the past 14 years, Dr. Pite has been providing oral oncology consulting for the head and neck team BC Cancer Agency Victoria site. This includes pre-radiation and pre-chemotherapy planning as well as management of patients who are treated with bisphosphonate medications for metastatic or other conditions.
We can often be the first clinical point of contact for patients once they have been diagnosed with head and neck cancer. Typically, we evaluate patients to ensure that their dentition will withstand some of the side effects to radiation including dry mouth, taste changes, mouth ulcerations during treatment. We at times are required to provide pre-treatment surgical care for these patients.
Dr. Pite’s initial experiences working in oncology began in breast cancer research working with studies in mice with his undergraduate studies in biochemistry. During dental school, he had early exposure to oncological clinical care at London Health Sciences Centre. Following graduation, Dr. Pite undertook a post-graduate internship in 2006 through the University of British Columbia, Vancouver General Hospital and the BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver site. In 2009, he was later recruited to Sudbury, ON to work in the Northeastern Ontario Regional Cancer Centre where he also maintained an oral pathology referral service for the broad Northern Ontario medical community during his time there. Since 2010, our clinic has been providing referral and consulting services for the BCCA Victoria site.
Over the past fifteen years, Dr. Pite has been witness to the changing profile of oral cancer. Previously, many of the oral cancers seen were strongly associated to smoking and alcohol consumption. Today, a large number of oral cancers are being attributed to HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) infections, increasingly common amongst younger adults, typically from unprotected sexual activity. Gardasil vaccination (against HPV) will have a tremendous impact on reducing oral cancers in present day youths. Vaccination is possible up until the age of 45 and strongly encouraged for adolescents.