Lip cancer: Symptoms, Complications, and Treatment

Contents 

In this article, we will take a look at:

• What is Lip cancer?
• How does Lip cancer occur?
• Who is prone to Lip cancer?
• Symptoms of Lip cancer
• Diagnosis of Lip cancer
• Complications of Lip cancer
• Treatment for Lip cancer

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What is Lip cancer?

Lip Cancer is a form of oral cancer. It develops when abnormal cells grow out of control. This type of cancer affects the squamous cells lining the lips, mouth, cheeks, tongue, hard and soft palates, sinuses and throat. Squamous cells can be described as thin, flat cells. If diagnosed in its early stages, Lip cancer can be treated and cured. This type of cancer is more likely to cause tumors on the lower lip as compared to the upper lip.

How does Lip cancer occur?

Abnormal cells usually develop as a result of a genetic mutation. This mutation alters their lifecycle. The cells begin to grow at an abnormally high rate and have a longer life than normal cells. This rapid growth causes tumors. In the early stages of the disease, these tumors can be seen only in one place but as the disease progresses they may spread to other organs as well.

There are 5 stages of Lip cancer.

Stage 0: At this stage, the tumors are too small to be noticed.

Stage I: At this stage, the tumor grows to a size of about 2cm. It is limited to one part of the mouth.

Stage II: At this stage, the tumor grows bigger and has a size of about 2-4cm. It may also be seen in other parts of the mouth and throat.

Stage III: At this stage, the size of a tumor becomes bigger than 4cm. It may be seen more prominently in other parts of the mouth and throat also.

Stage IV: At this stage, the tumor spreads to other organs and lymph nodes.

Who is prone to Lip cancer?

You could be at risk of developing Lip cancer if:

• You are more than 40 years old
• you smoke cigarettes, cigars or tobacco pipes
• you chew tobacco
• your skin is exposed to direct sunlight for a prolonged period of time
• you use tanning beds
• you have light-colored skin
• you suffer from an HPV infection
• you drink alcohol excessively
• Men have a higher risk of Lip cancer as compared to women.

What are the symptoms of Lip cancer? How is Lip cancer diagnosed?

The symptoms of Lip cancer include:

• a sore, blister, lesion, ulcer or lump in the mouth or lip that does not heal
• white or red patches on the lip
• pain in the lips
• bleeding from the lips
• swelling of the jaw
• In some cases, the early stages of Lip cancer may be asymptomatic.

Diagnosis

In many cases, Lip cancer is detected by dentists during routine check-ups. If a doctor suspects Lip cancer, he will conduct a thorough physical examination of your mouth and lips. He may also check your neck for swelling in the lymph nodes. A sample of the tissue from the affected area will be sent for a biopsy. In addition, the doctor may ask for a complete blood count, endoscopy, CT scan, MRI, PET scan and a chest X-ray.

What are the complications of Lip cancer?

Complications that can be caused by Lip cancer include:

• it may spread to other organs
• changes to the appearance of the mouth
• difficulty talking
• difficulty chewing and swallowing
• depression and anxiety

What is the treatment for Lip cancer?

Lip cancer can be treated in many ways depending on the stage it is diagnosed at. For small tumors, surgery may be recommended. This will remove a tumor and some of the healthy tissue surrounding it. In the case of larger tumors, radiation and chemotherapy may be used. These may be used on their own or together. In cases of advanced lip cancer, chemotherapy may be given to relieve some of the symptoms.