Oral Cancer
Oral cancer can be defined as the formation of malignant new tissue and abnormal cell growth occurring anywhere inside the mouth or on the lips. It most commonly develops on the floor of the mouth and the tongue. Early diagnosis and treatment are extremely important in oral cancer. Surgical methods often play a primary role in treatment, but radiotherapy and chemotherapy may also be included in the treatment plan.
Risk Factors for Oral Cancer
- Long-term and heavy tobacco use
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Prolonged and intense exposure to sunlight
- History of head and neck cancer
- Family history of cancer
- Long-term use of poorly fitting dental prostheses
Symptoms of Oral Cancer
Symptoms of oral cancer may vary from person to person. It often presents as white, red, or red-and-white patches or sores inside the mouth or on the lips. These lesions may fail to heal for a long time and may begin to cause pain or discomfort.
Symptoms can differ depending on the type of oral cancer, and some precancerous lesions may cause no pain at all. Other possible symptoms include:
- Difficulty moving the jaw or tongue
- Lumps in the cheeks
- Swelling in the neck
- Persistent bad breath
- Bleeding inside the mouth
- Oral lesions that persist for more than two weeks without changing location
Oral Cancer Treatment Process
The treatment of oral cancer generally requires surgical intervention. Treatment may include surgical removal of all cancerous tissue, along with radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. One of the most recent and promising developments in this field is robotic surgery.
Depending on the type of tumor and the stage of the disease, doctors determine which treatment methods—or combinations of methods—should be used. In cases where multiple treatments are required, the sequence of these treatments may also vary according to the patient’s condition.
Radiotherapy may be used for small-sized tumors. High-energy X-rays used in radiotherapy may not always cure cancer, but they can help relieve painful symptoms. Chemotherapy may be included in the treatment process to reduce tumor size before surgical removal.
When oral cancer is diagnosed early at Stage I or Stage II and treatment begins promptly, recovery rates can be very high. This is because tumors at these stages are generally smaller than 4 centimeters and have not spread.
In contrast, Stage III and Stage IV represent advanced cancer stages. At these stages, treatment often involves a combination of surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy.
