OviHealth

What is Oral Cancer?

Cancer inside the mouth is sometimes called oral cancer. Oral cancer is common and easily treatable if it is found in the early stages. A dentist can easily catch oral cancer in the early stages because the mouth can be easily examined.

 

Oral cancers including cancers of the lips, tongue, cheeks, a layer of the mouth, hard and soft palate, sinuses, and pharynx (throat) can be fatal if they are not diagnosed and treated at the right time.

 

Men face twice the risk of developing oral cancer than women. Men over the age of 50 are at greatest risk. Smoking and tobacco use are the main causes of oral cancer.

 

Types of Oral Cancer –

·       Lip cancer.

·       Tongue cancer.

·       Cancer of the cheek.

·       Gum cancer.

·       Cancer of the floor of the mouth (under the tongue).

·       Hard and soft palate cancer.

 

Following are the main other types of oral cancer –

 

·       Squamous Cell Carcinoma - More than 90 percent of cancers found in the oral cavity and the oropharynx are squamous cell carcinoma. Typically, the throat and mouth are accompanied by so-called squamous cells, which are flat and arranged in a scale-like manner. Squamous cell carcinoma means that some squamous cells are abnormal.

·       Verrucous carcinoma - About 5 percent of oral cavity tumors are a workaround carcinoma, a type of very slow-growing cancer made up of squamous cells. This type of oral cancer rarely spreads to other parts of the body.

·       Minor salivary gland carcinomas - These oral cancers can develop on the small salivary glands, which are found in the lining of the mouth and throat.

·       Lymphomas - Oral cancer that develops in lymph tissue, which is part of the immune system, is called lymphoma. Lymphoid tissues occur in the tonsils and base of the tongue.

·       Leukoplakia and Erythroplakia - This non-cancerous condition means there are some types of abnormal cells in the mouth or throat. In leukoplakia, a white area can be seen, and in erythroplegia, there is a red area, flattened or slightly elevated, which often leads to bleeding when scratched. Both conditions can be associated with the anterior, they can develop in different types of cancer. When these conditions occur, a biopsy or other test is performed to determine if the cell is cancerous.

 

Stages of Oral Cancer –

 

Stage 0 - This stage indicates that the cancer is there, not spread from where it started.

Stage I - This stage suggests that the cancer is small and does not spread anywhere.

Stage II - This stage indicates that the cancer has grown but has not spread.

Stage III - This stage suggests that the cancer has grown and may have spread to the surrounding tissues and / or lymph nodes (part of the lymphatic system).

Stage IV - This stage indicates that the cancer has spread to at least one other body part from where it started; it is also known as "secondary" or "metastatic" cancer.

 

Grade of Cancer –

 

Grade I - This indicates that cancer cells that are similar to normal cells are not growing rapidly.

Grade II - This suggests that cancer cells that do not look like normal cells are growing faster than normal cells.

Grade III - This indicates that abnormal cells that appear to be cancerous are growing more aggressively.



Symptoms of Oral Cancer –

There are following symptoms of oral cancer –

 

1.      Pain in the Mouth - pain or discomfort in the mouth that does not heal, the most common symptom of oral cancer.

2.      Untreated Canker - An area of the skin (canker) that does not heal can be a symptom of oral cancer.

3.      Weight Loss - Maximum weight loss can be a sign of cancer.

4.      Swelling / thickening, lumps, spots / crust or erosion develop in lips, gums or other areas of mouth.

5.      Development of white, red or spotted patches in the mouth.

6.      Bleeding from the mouth without any reason.

 

The Oral Cancer Risk Factors

 

1.       ­­­Smoking - six times more likely to develop oral cancer than those who smoke cigarettes, cigars or pipes.

2.       Tobacco - People who consume tobacco have a 50 times higher chance of cancer of lining of cheeks, gums and lips.

3.       Drinking too much alcohol.

4.       Family history of cancer.

5.       Human papillomavirus (HPV)

6.       Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC)

 

It is important to note that more than 25% of oral cancers occur in people who do not smoke or drink alcohol.




The information here is taken from various sources. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy, timeliness and genuineness of this information. However, it does not belong to ovihealth.com. We humbly request you to contact your doctor before trying any remedy. Our aim is just to provide you information.