Oral Cancer: Symptoms, Complications, and Treatment

Contents

In this article, we will take a look at:

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

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What is Oral cancer?

Cancer can be described as the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. Cancer that develops in the mouth or throat is termed as oral cancer. Tumors caused by oral cancer can appear on the lips, the floor of the mouth, cheeks, tongue, sinuses, hard and soft palate, and pharynx. Thus, in many cases, a dentist first detects oral cancer during routine dental check-ups. Early detection is key to the treatment of oral cancer. If left untreated, this form of cancer can be fatal.

How does Oral cancer occur?

Oral cancer is usually the result of a genetic mutation. This mutation makes normal cells grow abnormally fast and does not allow the cells to die. It is not clear what causes these mutations. As the cells keep growing they form tumors. The tumors can then spread to other places in the mouth and throat as well as to other organs.

There are 5 stages of Oral cancer.

Stage 0: In this stage, the tumor affects only the top layer of cells and is often too small to be noticed.

Stage I: The tumour grows to about 2cm in size but is limited to one part of the mouth or throat.

Stage II: The tumour grows to a size of 2-4cm and may start affecting nearby parts of the mouth and throat.

Stage III: The tumour grows bigger than 4cm and may also be noticed in other parts of the mouth and throat.

Stage IV: The tumour spread to other organs and lymph nodes.

Who is prone to Oral cancer?

You could be at risk of developing Oral cancer if:

• you smoke cigarettes, cigars or tobacco pipes
• you chew tobacco
• you suffer from an HPV infection
• you drink alcohol excessively
• your face is exposed a lot to the sun
• you have a weakened immune system
• you do not get adequate nutrition
• you have a history of oral cancer
• someone in your family has Oral cancer

Men have a higher risk of Oral cancer as compared to women.

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

The symptoms of Oral cancer include:

• sore in the mouth or lip that does not heal
• growth or mass anywhere in the mouth or throat
• white or red patches in the mouth or throat
• loose teeth
• bleeding from the mouth
• trouble swallowing
• trouble wearing dentures
• chronic earache
• sore throat
• unexplained weight loss
• tongue pain
• stiffness in the jaw numbness in the face, lower lip or neck

Diagnosis

Most cases of oral cancer are detected by dentists during routine check-ups. During a physical exam, the dentist will look for patches and growths in the mouth. If any suspicious lesions or tumors are found, a brush biopsy or tissue biopsy may be conducted. This may be followed by an X-ray, CT scan, MRI scan, PET scan, and endoscopy.

What are the complications of Oral cancer?

Oral cancer does not go away on its own and should not be ignored. In its later stages, oral cancer can be fatal. In these stages, treatment cannot cure the disease and is aimed at only reducing the speed at which it progresses. Hence, it is important to seek treatment in the early stages of oral cancer. Complications that can arise from oral cancer include:

• changes in the appearance of the mouth
• speech problems
• difficulty eating and swallowing
• depression and anxiety

What is the treatment for Oral cancer?

The ideal treatment for a patient depends on many factors including the stage at which the cancer is diagnosed, the patient’s age, overall health, and personal preferences. In the case of small tumors restricted to one area, surgery may be advised. This is aimed at removing the tumors. Surgery may be followed by radiation to ensure that no part of a tumor has been left behind. If a tumor is large, radiation may precede surgery to allow a tumor to shrink. Chemotherapy is another form of treatment used for oral cancer. This may be combined with radiation. Targeted therapy may also be used to treat oral cancer.