JACKSON, Miss (WJTV) – The University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) Ear, Nose and Throat and the Jackson-Hinds Comprehensive Health Center (JHCHC) will host free oral, head and neck cancer screenings.

The screenings will be open to all walk-up participants on Wednesday, April 5 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the JHCHC, located at 3502 W. Northside Drive in Jackson.

April 11-17 is Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week. Doctors said screenings are simple and only take about 10 minutes, and they are non-invasive.

Oral, head and neck cancers are the fifth most common cancers in the world. Early detection and diagnosis is crucial to successful treatment, and when detected early at stages 1 and 2, the survival rate is more than 80 percent.

Risk factors include use of tobacco, excessive consumption of alcohol, and HPV infection.