Mouth cancer refers to cancer that develops in any of the parts that make up the mouth (oral cavity). Mouth cancer can occur on the:
Cancer that occurs on the inside of the mouth is sometimes called oral cancer or oral cavity cancer.
Mouth cancer is one of several types of cancers grouped in a category called head and neck cancers. Mouth cancer and other head and neck cancers are often treated similarly.
Classified according to the cell type cancer begins in:
Squamous cell carcinoma — many frequent accounting for 90 percent of their oral cancer cases
Fairly commonly – Adenocarcinomas, lymphomas, sarcomas, melanomas
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Factors that can increase your risk of mouth cancer include:
First, your doctor or dentist will perform a physical exam. This includes closely examining the roof and floor of your mouth, the back of your throat, tongue, and cheeks, and the lymph nodes in your neck. If your doctor cannot determine why you’re having your symptoms, you may be referred to an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist.
If your doctor finds any tumors, growths, or suspicious lesions, they’ll perform a brush biopsy or a tissue biopsy. A brush biopsy is a painless test that collects cells from the tumor by brushing them onto a slide. A tissue biopsy involves removing a piece of the tissue so it can be examined under a microscope for cancerous cells.
If diagnosed with biopsy as malignant, the next step is imaging studies for the staging of cancer. Staging helps in treatment planning if wrong staging then wrong treatment option selection
According to the National Cancer Institute, the five-year survival rates for oral cavity and pharynx cancers are as follows:
Overall, 60 percent of all people with oral cancer will survive for five years or more. The earlier the stage at diagnosis, the higher the chance of survival after treatment. In fact, the five-year overall survival rate in those with stage 1 and 2 oral cancers is typically 70 to 90 percent. This makes timely diagnosis and treatment all the more important.
Treatment of Oral Cancer
The treatment modality of oral cancer is dependent upon its staging in addition to the age and health of the patient.
Based upon the point where the cancer is diagnosed, therapy is intended, if incorrect staging then wrong choices.
Surgery, Radiation, Chemotherapy can be used alone or in conjunction with the best possible results.
Surgical removal of tumors – involves the removal of cancerous cells along with little surrounding healthy tissue. Surgery is generally performed while the tumor is small, such as large cysts radiation and surgery and chemotherapy is the treatment of choice.
Cosmetic reconstructive surgery – is done to assist patients to deal up with cosmetic disfigurement and difficulty in chewing, swallowing here the surgeon’s transplant grafts of the skin, bone, or muscle.
Radiation Therapy – wherein large energy X-rays are used to destroy the cancerous tissues. Radiation treatment may be enough to treat in the early phase of prostate cancer. It entails
After radiation impacts:
Chemotherapy – powerful drugs are given to destroy the cancer cells. After-effects of chemotherapy depend on the kind and quantity of medication received and finish soon after the treatment is finished. A number of the following effects of chemotherapy:
The cost of oral cancer surgery to the patient depends on many factors, they are:
There’s no proven way to prevent mouth cancer. However, you can reduce your risk of mouth cancer if you:
A. The cost of Mouth Cancer Treatment in India ranges from USD 3000-5000 at the best of the hospitals.
A. Oral cancer is very common in India. The reported 5-year survival of such patients is around 50% after treatment with surgery and radiotherapy, much lower than most of the developed countries
A. Radiotherapy. Radiotherapy uses doses of radiation to kill cancerous cells. In mouth cancer, it’s usually used after surgery to prevent the cancer returning. In throat cancer, it’s often the first treatment to be given, in combination with chemotherapy medicine (chemoradiotherapy).
A: Oral cavity involves the gums, teeth, the soft and hard palates, tongue, tonsils, and salivary glands. These dental arrangements aid an individual to eat, drink, talk & breathe. It’s the entry of the adrenal gland and initiates the digestive process by salivation.
A: If discovered early and timely therapy began, the mortality rate in oral cancer may be significantly diminished thus early detection may improve the odds of treatment success.
A. Cancer on your tongue, for example, can make it harder to make “l” and “r” sounds. If you have a growth on the roof of your mouth, your voice may sound different. You could lose your voice. A speech and language therapist can help you speak more clearly.
A. The overall survival of oral cavity cancer with recommended treatment is about 50%. Surgical treatment of oral cavity cancer with/without adjuvant radiotherapy causes a lot of acute and chronic side effects on the respiration, swallow, speech, disfigurement of the head and neck, even treated at early stage.
A. Tongue cancer is highly curable when it is detected early, but it can be life-threatening if not diagnosed and treated early. Over time, it may spread to other sites in the mouth, other areas of the head and neck, or other parts of the body.