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Mouth cancer or oral cancer is a type of cancer where a tumour develops in any part of the mouth. It is one of the types of commonly detected cancers in India and all over the world. This cancer is found commonly in people over the age of 40 particularly men but lately, it has become more widespread in the younger population and women.
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Keyterms: Cancer, Mouth cancer, Disease, Tissue, Teeth, Tongue, Lip, Cheek, Ulcer, Genetics
What Is Cancer?
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Cancer is a deadly and serious disease in which the cells start splitting unnaturally and abnormally in an unmanageable way. It has the capacity of causing harm to any part of the human body.
There are more than 100 types of cancers some of the commonly found cancers are:
- Non-melanoma Skin Cancer
- Breast Cancer (More likely detected in women)
- Lung Cancer
- Prostate Cancer (Found in Men)
- Colon and Rectal Cancer
- Mouth/ Oral Cancer
- Melanoma
- Bladder Cancer
- Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
- Kidney Cancer
- Leukaemia
- Pancreatic Cancer
- Thyroid Cancer
- Liver Cancer
- Endometrial Cancer
What Is Mouth/ Oral Cancer?
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Mouth cancer is one of the types of commonly detected cancers in India and all over the world. It develops either in the tissues of the throat or mouth and affects teeth, tongue, lips, and other parts of the cheeks. It is a type of cancer where a tumour develops in any part of the mouth.
This cancer is found commonly in people over the age of 40 particularly men but lately, it has become more widespread in the younger population and women. The manifestation of this type of cancer varies with their stages and none can begin therapy from the very first stage.
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Symptoms Of Mouth/ Oral Cancer
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The symptoms of oral cancer vary depending upon the stage of cancer. Some of the most commonly found symptoms are:
- Sore throat
- Lump in neck/cheek
- Loosening of teeth
- Persistent bad breath
- Persistent pain in the mouth
- Difficulty in moving Jaw or Tongue
- Mouth ulcer which does not heal
- Bleeding inside the mouth
- Pain in the ears
- Numbness, loss of any feeling
- Difficulty in chewing or swallowing
Causes Of Mouth/ Oral Cancer
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The most probable cause of mouth cancer is the consumption and use of tobacco and smoking. But it is important to understand that cancers may even occur due to genetics, lifestyle changes, etc.
Some of the probable causes are listed down below.
- Tobacco consumption in forms like a cigarette, etc
- Cigar
- Pipe smoking
- Excessive consumption of Alcohol
- HPV
- Exposure of lips to sunlight for a prolonged duration
- Compromised community
- Diet and lifestyle
- Genetics
How To Detect Mouth/ Oral Cancer?
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Mouth Cancer can be identified most commonly by visiting Dentists or Oncologists. They will be able to diagnose it by the following methods.
- Physical examination (around the mouth to check the presence of any sore, white or red patches, etc)
- Endoscopy
- Biopsy
- Imaging tests like CT scan, MRI and PET Scan.
- Medical history
It can also be diagnosed by observing the impact on speech, chewing, and swallowing.
If any kind of unusual symptom occurs in the mouth, it is advisable to visit the doctor at the earliest. This helps in diagnosing cancer at an early stage itself.
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Stages Of Mouth Cancer
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As soon as the diagnosis of the cancer is done, the stage is determined. It is done to assess the extent and size of the spread. It even helps the specialists to decide the treatment plan. It is done in two ways-
TNM- Tumour, Node, Metastasis Staging
T- The size of the primary tumour
N- Refers to whether the lymph nodes in the neck have become cancerous
M- Refers to whether cancer has spread to the entire body and body part/ organ
Number Staging I To IV
Stage 0: Begins to grow on the surface of the oral cavity.
Stage 1: Begins to grow deeper into tissues.
Stage 2: It has grown large up to 4cm but it is localized.
Stage 3: It has grown larger than 4cm. Here there are chances that cancer had spread through to the lymph nodes on the same side of the primary tumour.
Stage 4: It may vary greatly in size. The nearby bone, skin, and sinus may be affected.
Treatment For Mouth/ Oral Cancer
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Treatment of Cancer depends upon location and stage of Cancer, personal preference, and overall health condition. The treatment facilities can be used in combination or individually. Some of the prescribed treatment methods for oral cancer are:
- Surgery
- Palliative care
- Biological therapy
- Radiation therapy
- Chemotherapy
- Radiosurgery
- Targeted-drug therapy
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Prevention Of Mouth/ Oral Cancer
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It is very important to take good care of the mouth and undergo regular checkups. It is advisable to refrain from bad habits such as smoking and drinking to reduce the chances of getting affected by Cancer.
Some of the preventive measures are:
- To stop the consumption of tobacco and alcohol.
- Consult the dentist regularly.
- Avoid things known to cause cancer.
- Follow a healthy lifestyle and eating habits.
- Examine your mouth regularly.
Things to Remember
- Mouth cancer or oral cancer is a type of cancer where a tumour develops in any part of the mouth.
- Sore throat, Lump in neck/cheek, Loosening of teeth, Persistent bad breath, Persistent pain in the mouth, non healing mouth blisters are some of the symptoms of mouth cancer.
- The most probable cause of mouth cancer is the consumption and use of tobacco and smoking.
- TNM- Tumour, Node, Metastasis Staging is a four-stage diagnosis method used in the diagnosis of Mouth cancer
- Radiation therapy, Chemotherapy, Radiosurgery, Targeted-drug therapy are some of the treatment methods for Mouth cancer.
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Sample Questions
Ques. How is oral cancer diagnosed? (2 marks)
Ans. Mouth Cancer can be identified most commonly by visits to your Dentists or Oncologists. It can also be diagnosed by observing the impact on speech, chewing, and swallowing.
Any kind of unusual happenings in the mouth is understood by the dentists. It can be helped in early curing and treatment.
Ques. What are the symptoms of oral cancer? (2 marks)
Ans. These symptoms don’t always mean that it's cancer, lots of common conditions can make you doubt the same. But some common signs and symptoms of cancer in both men and women are-
- Body pain
- Weight loss without exercise or workout
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Change in skin
- Sores that do not heal
- Unusual bleeding [Women’s]
- Anemia
- Cough or hoarseness that doesn’t go away,
- A lump, pain, or ache in the scrotum
Ques. How many stages are there in the number staging of cancer? (3 marks)
Ans. As soon as the diagnosis of the cancer is done, the stage is determined. It is done to assess the extent and size of the spread. It even helps the specialists to decide the treatment plan.
STAGE 0- Begins to grow on the surface of the oral cavity.
STAGE 1- Begun to grow deeper into tissues, it is small in size.
STAGE 2- It has grown larger up to 4cm, but it is yet localized.
STAGE 3- Has grown larger than 4cm. Here there are chances that cancer had spread through to the lymph nodes on the same side of the primary tumour.
STAGE 4- It may vary greatly in size. In moderately advanced local disease, the nearby bone, skin, and sinus may be involved.
Ques. What exactly is Mouth or Oral Cancer? (2 marks)
Ans. Mouth cancer is one of the types of commonly detected cancers in India and all over the world. It develops either in the tissues of the throat or mouth and affects teeth, tongue, lips, and other parts of cheeks, any part that is vulnerable to mouth cancer. It is a type of cancer where a tumour develops in any part of the mouth. It is even termed as ORAL CANCER.
Ques. What are the causes of mouth cancer? (2 marks)
Ans. The causes are Tobacco intake in any form like a cigarette, cigar, snuff dipping, etc, Cigar, Pipe smoking, Excessive consumption of Alcohol, HPV, sometimes genetics, Exposure of lips to sunlight for a prolonged duration, Compromised community, and Diet and lifestyle.
Ques. What are the main types of oral cancer? (2 marks)
Ans. Almost all oral cancers are squamous cell carcinomas. That’s why treatment is often guided not by the cancer type but by its location. Even though the oral cavity is a small space, it’s made up of many different types of tissue. The most common locations for cancer in the oral cavity are the tongue, tonsils, oropharynx (throat), gums and floor of the mouth.
Ques. What are the potential side effects of oral cancer treatment? (2 marks)
Ans. Aside from side effects that may affect appearance and function, oral cancer treatment may also cause weight loss, fatigue, nausea, diarrhoea, taste changes, dry mouth and constipation.
Ques. Who is most at risk for oral cancer? (2 marks)
Ans. People who use tobacco are six times more likely to develop oral cancer. Eight of 10 oral cancer patients are smokers. Heavy alcohol drinkers are also more at risk. 80% of people diagnosed with oral cancer consume more than 21 drinks weekly. Finally, people with a history of oral human papillomavirus infections are at greater risk to develop oral cancer even if they don’t smoke or drink.
Ques. What are the warning signs of oral cancer? (2 marks)
Ans.
- Red or white patches in or behind the mouth
- Mouth sores or ulcers that bleed easily and do not heal
- Unexplained lump in the neck, throat or floor of the mouth
- Difficulty or discomfort swallowing
- Pain and tenderness in teeth or gums
- Change in the fit of dentures or partial dentures
- The visible change in mouth tissue
- Unpleasant sensations (pain, discomfort, numbness)
- Diminished ability to perform normal functions such as the opening jaw, chewing or swallowing
- Unexplained swelling or fullness in the neck
Ques. Where does oral cancer occur? (2 marks)
Ans. About two-thirds of cancer of the mouth or oral cavity occurs in the floor of the mouth and tongue but can occur in the upper or lower jaw, lips, gums, and cheek lining. Just behind the mouth is an area known as the oropharynx. Oropharyngeal cancer (one-third of cases) occurs in the back of the tongue, tonsils and throat tissue.
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