Mouth cancer is the kind of cancer that can begin anywhere in the mouth. Different parts of the mouth that can get affected by this cancer. For example the lips, tongue, gums, and the part under your tongue, on the upper portion of the mouth, in the cheeks and lips and the area behind the wisdom tooth.
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According to British Dental Health Foundation is one of the leading campaigners to help raise awareness of the risks and symptoms of mouth cancer in the world.
- The five year survival rate of mouth cancer patients is just 50%.
- BUT early diagnosis gives patients a 90% survival.
- Regular visit to your dentist will ensure you are professionally screened for signs of mouth cancer. Talk to your dentists about the process and mouth cancer risk factors.
- Self-examination is a simple, potentially life-saving process.
Look out for:
- Ulcers which do not heal within three weeks
- Red and white patches in the mouth
- Unusual lumps or swellings in the mouth
Research shows that the number of people diagnosed with mouth cancer is increasing day by day. What has also been noticed is that the people that are getting affected by this are above the age of 50. Research shows that it has affected men more than women. In India the youngest addict treated was a 13-year-old boy, who died of an advanced form of mouth cancer. An estimated 5 million Indian children are hooked on tobacco, although specific chewing figures are unclear, while the Global Adult Tobacco Survey in 2010 showed that 206 million Indians aged over 15 were using smokeless forms.
Various kinds of mouth cancer
The majority of mouth cancers are squamous cell carcinomas. These are usually found in the flat skin cells which covers the inside part of your mouth.
Apart form this there are many more mouth cancers such as:
1. Melanoma
This is the cancer that begins in the skin pigment cells which is around your mouth or over the lips.
2. Lymphoma
The start of the cancer is in the lymph tissue close to the base of the tongue as well as tonsils.
3. Salivary Gland Cancer
This kind of cancer begins in salivary gland cells.
Symptoms of mouth cancer
There are numerous signs which can help you to detect whether you are suffering from oral cancer or not. Among all the symptoms the two most common symptoms are:
- Ulcer in the mouth or lip which is not healing
- Continuous discomfort or pain inside the mouth
There are many other symptoms that can reflect you are suffering from mouth cancer such as:
- Lump on your lip, in the neck or tongue
- Red or white patches in the mouth
- Lot of bad breath
- No reason for bleeding in the mouth
- Loose teeth
- Feeling of numbness in the mouth
- Facing problem at the time of chewing or swallowing
- Problem while moving your jaw
- Feeling of something being caught in the throat
- Weight loss due to swallowing issue
It is not compulsory that you will be suffering with all of these symptoms if you are suffering from oral cancer. It is more likely that you might be facing some of the symptoms or a combination of a few of them. If this is the case then you should visit a dentist as soon as possible!
Causes of mouth cancer
The actual causes of oral cancer are not completely understood. However there are some things that increase your risk. Some of these causes are as follows:
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- Smoking any kind of tobacco, this includes cigars, pipes, cigarettes, hand rolled cigarettes, etc.
- Consumption of tobacco by chewing
- Excessive consumption of alcohol
- Consumption of alcohol and tobacco together, this can also lead to skin cancer
- Having a weak immune system
- High exposure to sun or ultraviolet rays. This can lead to lip cancer.
Identification of mouth cancer
One thing that you need to know is that if the oral cancer is identified at the early stage the chances of recovery are high. A dentist can identify abnormalities at the early stage. This is why it is important to seek regular dental advice and screening.
The dentist will examine you and speak to you about the signs on the basis of the results. The dentist will also check whether there is swelling around the neck or not. A medical history is always taken or updated at your visit which helps the dentist to identify any risk factors. If anything is found you are normally referred to an appropriate specialist.
In order to confirm that you are suffering from oral cancer there are some of the test that need to be carried out. Some of these are as follows:
Examination of mouth and throat
By making use of special tools like laryngoscope the specialist will check the inside part of the mouth and throat.
Biopsy
This is basically a small sample of tissue. It is then sent to a laboratory for testing. This will identify the kind of cells and help with staging of the cancer.
These are the initial tests and if you are found to have cancer then you will be asked to take up other tests for assessing the cancer. The procedure to detect which stage of cancer you are facing is referred to as staging. The other tests that might be required to be carried out are as follows:
- X-rays of either your upper or lower jaw or your chest or both
- You might also need to undergo scans which comprise of ultrasound, CT or MRI. This test will check your muscles, tissues, organs of your chest, throat as well as face for the position of the cancer.
- Might have to go for a biopsy of lymph nodes. Glands that are spread throughout the body and part of the immune system are the lymph nodes.
- You might also be asked to undergo a barium swallow and meal test if there is the suspicion of cancer affecting the digestive system. This is the test in which you will be asked to swallow a drink that comprises of barium. This is a substance that can be seen on an x-ray. With this X-ray the unusual growth that has been taken place in the digestive system will show up.
- Endoscopy can also be carried out to detect cancer. This test will be carried out by making use of narrow and flexible tube-like telescopic camera which is referred to as an endoscope. This will help the doctor to view the inside of the body.
These are some of the test that might be recommended so that the specialist can identify whether you are suffering from oral cancer and if it has spread.
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