Oral cancer is a type of cancer affecting mouth and oral cavity. It can occur in any part of the oral cavity like lips, tongue, mouth or oropharynx. Generally the cancer starts at the tongue and proceeds towards the floor of the mouth. Squamous cells are responsible for creating oral cancer and such cancers are called as squamous cell carcinoma.
The cell causing cancer is carried through the watery fluid called lymph and enters into the lymphatic system. That is the reason they appear and attack first the lymphatic nodes in the neighboring area. Oral cancer have chance to spread to lungs, neck and other internal organs.
Causes :
Though it is accepted universally that people who smoke and drink are prone to get cancer of all types, still this theory remains confused in some aspect. Any person who does not even smoke at least once has every chance to get oral cancer. But doctors believe that tobacco and smoking is the main cause for oral cancer. Heavy smokers are more prone to get mouth caner and lung cancer. Similarly drinking alcohol can induce cancer.
Exposure to direct sunlight can cause skin cancer and lip blisters. For people who have family history of cancer or head cancer have more chance of getting oral and neck cancer than others.
Symptoms :
You have to look up for early signs in case of oral cancer. White patches inside the mouth and in particular on the lips should not be ignored. These patches may become malignant. Red patches of (erythroplakia) are another symptom of oral cancer.
Your mouth or lips may be bleeding, formation of sores, difficulty in swallowing, dental problems, lymph in the neck and earache are other symptoms.
Diagnoses :
Your doctor will examine the oral cavity and check for red and white patches in the lips and mouth. He would also look for lymph nodes in the neck to see any swelling has developed. He would then take out a sample tissue for biopsy. Local anesthesia will be given for removing sample from the mouth. The biopsy result will give the clear picture of oral cancer.
Pictures of Oral Cancer :
Images, Pics, Pictures and Photos of Oral Cancer
Treatment :
Your doctor should first analyze the stage at which the cancer has advanced, before sorting out the right method of treatment. He would then consider the size of the tumor, its position and how far it has spread. Taking a dental X ray and CT scan or MRI scan of the affected part is advised to proceed with treatment.
Surgery will be done for removing tumors of small size and lymph nodes on the neck. Radiation therapy is given to destroy the cancer causing cells in the oral cavity. It would gradually shrink the tumor to small size which can then be removed by surgical process. Chemotherapy is used for improving immunity and for killing cancer cells. You have to take several shots of injection while taking chemotherapy.