Lip Cancer - Causes, Early Signs, and Prevention Strategies

What Causes Lip Cancer? Early Signs, and Prevention Strategies

In India, lip cancer, which is a type of oral cancer, affects a significant number of people, with approximately 77,000 new oral cancer cases occurring annually. Although not as widely talked about as other cancers, lip cancer is a severe type of oral cancer that should be given attention. It may begin as a small ulcer and advance quickly if not diagnosed.

Fortunately, early diagnosis and preventive intervention can tremendously impact treatment outcomes. Thus, being aware of lip cancer causes, noticing early signs, and using proper prevention tips can help people manage their health better.

What is Lip Cancer?

Lip cancer is a form of cancer that occurs in the lips and oral cavity, specifically in the side of the lower lip. The tumor may grow either inward or outward. Since they are located at the border between the oral mucosa and skin, lip tumors can be considered both oral cavity cancer and skin cancer.

In general, most lip cancers are squamous cell carcinomas that develop in the thin, flat squamous cells in the outer and middle layers of skin.

What are the Symptoms of Lip Cancer?
 

Early signs of lip cancer can appear as a long-lasting sore on the lip and mouth. Some other symptoms can be:

• A slightly raised or flat colored area on thelips
• Numbness, pain, or tingling on thelips or in the mouth
• Loose teeth
• Thickened or bleeding lips
• Bleeding from the lip
• Swollen jaw
• Thickening of the lip
• Lesion, blister, lump or sore that won't heal
• Neck mass or growth

What are the Causes and Risk Factors of Lip Cancer?
 

The specific reason for lip cancer is still unknown. Similar to other types of cancer, it begins when defects in cell DNA transform normal cells into cancer cells that divide uncontrollably. These cancer cells are able to invade and damage healthy tissue.

Specialists have recognized certain risk factors that can lead to lip cancer. These include:

• Tobacco Usage: Refers to smoking cigarettes, cigars, and pipes, as well as using smokeless tobacco such as snuff or chewing tobacco.
• Heavy Drinking: Individuals with drinking habits are prone to lip cancer.
• Excessive Sun Exposure: Chronic exposure to UV radiation, including tanning bed exposure, increases the risk of lip cancer.
• Age: The majority of cases of lip cancer are found in those in their 50s and 60s.
• Fair Skin: Individuals with light hair, eyes, and skin are more prone to UV damage and lip cancer.
• Sex: Men are three times more likely to get lip cancer than women.
• Weak Immune System: An impaired immune system enhances susceptibility to lip cancer.

How is Lip Cancer Diagnosed?

Diagnosis of lip cancer is normally initiated through a comprehensive physical examination and later confirmed with laboratory and imaging studies:

• Physical Examination: The physician examines the lips, mouth, face, and neck for outward signs of abnormality, swelling, or a lump and might ask for related symptoms.
• Exfoliative Cytology: A non-surgical procedure in which the lesion's surface is lightly scraped, stained, and microscopically examined to detect abnormal cells.
• Incisional Biopsy: In case of abnormalities, a tiny tissue sample is removed from the area after local anesthesia. A pathologist analyzes it to determinewhether it is cancer, its nature, and aggressiveness.
• Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA):If there is a neck lump, a thin needle can be used to aspirate cells to study whether it's cancerous.
• Panendoscopy: For those at high risk because of smoking or alcohol consumption, a panendoscopy can be done under general anesthesia to visually inspect the throat, esophagus, trachea, and bronchi for other tumors.
• Imaging Tests: CT, MRI, or PET scans are performed in order to determine if the cancer has extended beyond the lip or into adjacent structures.

How is Lip Cancer Treated?
 

Treatment of lip cancer varies with the size, stage, and spread of cancer cells, with treatments designed to eliminate cancer, maintain lip function, and lower recurrence. The treatment methods include:

• Surgery: The cornerstone treatment of lip cancer is surgery, which is used to remove the tumor and a margin of normal tissue. Small tumors are treated with minorrepairs, whereas large cancers may require intricate reconstructive surgery with tissue grafts.
• Neck Dissection: If there is suspicion of lymph node involvement, surgery can include the removal of involved lymph nodes.
• Radiation Therapy: High-energy beams are used to attack cancer cells externally or internally by brachytherapy, usually alone or after surgery.
• Chemotherapy: Being one of the most common treatment processes in cancer, chemotherapy is administered in the advanced stages of lip cancer or concurrently with radiation.
• Targeted Therapy: Medications target proteins on cancer cells, increasing treatment accuracy and are frequently used with chemotherapy.
• Immunotherapy: It is applied in advanced cases to increase the immune system's ability to identify and eliminate cancer cells.

What are the Prevention Tips to Reduce the Risk of Lip Cancer?

Mentioned below are some effective tips for lip cancer prevention:

• Quit Tobacco Products:Smoking, tobacco chewing, and vaping place your mouth in contact with cancer-inducing chemicals. Quitting them significantly minimizes your risk for lip and other oral cancers.
• Avoid Alcohol Use: Excessive drinking harms the lining of your mouth, making it more susceptible to carcinogens. Thus, moderating or quitting alcohol can be an effective way to reduce lip cancer risk.  
• Shield From UV Exposure: Wear a lip balm with an SPF of 30 or more and stay away from direct sunlight, particularly at peak hours. Cumulative UV exposure is one of the primary causes of lip cancer.
• Have Regular Dental Checkups: Dentists can identify early warning signs of oral cancer, including recurring sores, white patches or red spots, or unusual lumps. Early detection translates to improved outcomes.
• Adopt a Healthy Diet: Consume foods that are rich in antioxidants, such as fruits, vegetables, green tea, and folate-rich foods. Limit processed meat, fried foods, and sugar-containing beverages.

Lip cancer, while less prevalent than other types of cancers, is a serious health threat if not addressed on time. Thus, timely detection of lip cancer early signs, lifestyle changes, and preventive habits can help you manage this condition effectively.

To assist you financially in covering the expensive treatment of cancer, Star Health Insurance provides the Star Cancer Care Platinum Insurance Policy. It provides full protection against cancer treatments so that you and your family are well-covered in the battle against cancer.

Call us now for further details!