Regular Dental Checkup
Regular dental check-up can help make an early diagnosis of lip cancer
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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.
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.
You could be at risk of developing Lip cancer if:
The symptoms of Lip cancer include:
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.
Complications that can be caused by Lip cancer include:
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.
Regular dental check-up can help make an early diagnosis of lip cancer
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Cancer can be described as the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. Cancer that develops in the mouth or throat is termed as oral cancer. Tumours caused by oral cancer can appear on the lips, floor of the mouth, cheeks, tongue, sinuses, hard and soft
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