What is Oral Cancer?
Cancer is an unwanted growth of any body tissue with a capability of spreading to other areas.
Oral cancer starts in the mouth. The oral cavity includes the lips, the buccal mucosa (inside lining of the lips and cheeks), the gums, the tongue, the floor of the mouth (below the tongue), the hard palate, the area behind the wisdom teeth and of course the teeth.
Oropharyngeal cancer develops in the part of the throat just behind the mouth. The oropharynx begins where the oral cavity stops. It includes the base of the tongue, the soft palate, the area around the tonsils and the back wall of the throat.
Function of Oral Cavity
The oral cavity and oropharynx assist with breathing, talking, eating, chewing and swallowing. The saliva keeps the mouth moist and helps digest food.
Type of Cancer
More than 90% of cancers of the oral cavity and oropharynx are squamons cell carcinoma.
Factors that may Course Oral Cancer
Research has identified a number of factors that may contribute to the development of oral cancer. The most common are the use of tobacco and alcohol. Others include poor oral hygiene, irritation caused by ill-fitting dentures and tough surfaces on teeth, poor nutrition, some chronic infections and combinations of these factors.
Important Note
Studies have shown that the death rate from oral cancer is about four times higher for cigarette smokers than for non-smokers. It is also believed that the heat generated by smoking pipes and cigars irritates the mouth and can lead to lip cancer.
Who is at Risk?
Those at an especially high risk of developing oral cancer are over 40 years of age, heavy drinkers and smokers, or users of smokeless tobacco, including snuff.
Tobacco
Tobacco smoke from cigarettes, cigars or pipes can cause cancers anywhere in the oral cavity or oropharynx, as well as causing cancers of the larynx, lungs, oesophagus, kidneys, bladder and several other organs.
Patients who persist in smoking after apparent cure of their cancer can develop secondary cancers of oral cavity.
Alcohol
Alcohol consumption strongly increases the risk of oral cavity and orophayngeal cancer.
Irritation
Chronic (long-term) irritation to the lining of the mouth caused by poorly fitting dentures or irritation by a broken or jagged tooth is a risk factor for oral cancer.
Poor Nutrition – Vitamin Deficiency
Vitamin A deficiency is associated with an increase risk of developing cancer of the oral cavity.
What are the Symptoms of Oral Cancer?
Most common symptom:
·Sore in the mouth that does not heal
Others:
·Non healing ulcer or growth anywhere in the mouth, which bleeds on touch and is relatively painless
·Pain in swallowing
·Difficulties in moving the jaw or the tongue
·A lump or thickening in the cheek
·White or reddish-white patches in the oral cavity (leukoplakia – erythroplakia)
What are the Symptoms of Throat Cancer?
·Change in voice
·Difficulty in swallowing food
·Recurrent unexplained “sore throat”
·Difficulty in breathing
·Unexplained on sided ear ache
·Lump in the neck
How can Oral Cancer be Diagnosed?
When you visit an oral and maxillofacial surgeon with a problem, the doctor first listens to your complaints in detail and then examines you. To help find the cause of symptoms, the surgeon evaluates a person’s medical history followed by complete head and neck examination including sometimes nasopharyngoscopy.
The only way to make the diagnosis of cancer is to examine cells or tissues from the suspected lesion under a microscope – a procedure referred to as biopsy.
Perform an Oral Examination Every Six Months
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons recommend that everyone must perform an oral cancer examination every six months. If you are at high risk for oral cancer (smoker, consumer of alcohol, user of smokeless tobacco, snuff etc) you should see your oral and maxillofacial surgeon more often.
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