The prevalence of mouth diseases drastically increases with changes in living conditions and urbanisation. Globally, mouth cancer ranks 13th among the most common cancers. The combination of mouth, lip cancer, and oral cavity is estimated to be around 188,438 death cases and 389,846 new cases in 2022. This is a stark reminder of the importance of early detection and awareness.
Therefore, understanding the mouth cancer symptoms, causes, and risk factors of mouth cancer is crucial not only for personal health but also for protecting your loved ones.
This article offers a clear overview of the stages of mouth cancer, key symptoms to watch for, and how it is diagnosed. It also covers available treatment options, all aimed at encouraging preventive care and timely medical attention.
Mouth cancer is known as oral cancer, which affects several areas of the mouth, including the lips, the tongue, and the cheeks. This can also damage the tonsils, salivary glands, and pharynx, where the tumour develops and surrounds the mouth.
There are different types of mouth cancer, which can occur rarely:
Mouth cancer affects the mouth and oropharynx, including two-thirds of the tongue, roof, and floor of the mouth, as well as the gums and lips. In the early stage, mouth cancer symptoms can appear as anatomical issues like patches on gums and lesions inside cheeks. From the advanced stages of mouth cancer, a person can have functional symptoms. A brief demonstration is done below to recognise cancer symptoms at different stages.
In the early stage of mouth cancer, possible suspicious signs to look for are listed below.
After becoming deeper and larger, the tumour can initiate affecting nerve cells of the neck and head. As mouth cancer progresses, individuals may notice such symptoms:
Once the mouth cancer cell reaches an advanced stage, it spreads beyond the original location and affects major nerves. Stage IV mouth cancer symptoms can include:
Pain, hoarseness, swallowing, and voice changes are common symptoms of mouth cancer. Some symptoms appear in late and early stages that need to be prioritised for initiating treatment from the early stages.
Mouth cancer occurs in squamous cells in the oral cavity. Tumours in the oral area become cancerous when the DNA of squamous cells changes and begins multiplying or growing. Over time, these cells spread to the inside of the mouth, other neck and head areas.
Most mouth cancer cases first develop among 50 to 74-year-old adults due to smoking, drinking habits, and viral infection. The risk factors of causing mouth cancer are listed below:
Dentists may refer to regular checkups and tests to spot potential tumour or cancer locations, stages, and treatments.
This test includes physical checking of the insides of the mouth, face, head, and neck to measure potential signs of mouth cancer.
Incisional biopsy examines a small portion of suspicious tissues of tumour or cancer cells. This test helps to identify cancerous lesions, type of cancer, and seriousness of cancer cells.
One of the important tests helps to determine early-stage or precancerous lesions even when cancer or tumour is not suspected clinically.
Indirect pharyngoscopy and laryngoscopy allow dentists to examine the base of the tongue, throat, and larynx parts and detect cancerous areas.
In this endoscopy test, the endoscope is a flexible tube placed to examine the sinuses, nose, throat (pharynx) and voice box (larynx). This test can facilitate doctors with visual inspection of the oral cavity, abnormal tissues or tumours, and the spread of cancer to lymph nodes.
MRI, PET, and CT scans help to identify growth, such as the progress stage, location, and spread of the mouth cancer cells.
Mainly three types of treatment options are available for mouth cancer: Surgery, Chemotherapy, and Radiation Therapy.
Doctors may recommend surgeries to eliminate tumour cells from the mouth at an early stage. Furthermore, surgeries refer to the removal of lymph nodes or tissues that can reduce the chances of recurring cancer cells.
Potential surgery options for mouth cancer are:
Depending on the cancer stage and symptoms, doctors prefer different therapeutic and care treatments, including:
Mouth cancer and radiation chemotherapy treatments may cause complications; these are:
The following tips can prevent or reduce the risk of having mouth cancer.
Mouth cancer aggressively affects the tongue, lips, and the inside areas of the mouth. Excessive tobacco smoking, regular alcohol consumption, and poor oral hygiene are the main risk factors. Mouth cancer symptoms include mouth ulcers, painless lumps, difficulties in opening or closing the mouth, and voice loss. Dentists prefer radiotherapy, chemotherapy, surgeries, immunotherapy, and palliative care to treat mouth cancer.
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