Early Signs and Types of Oral Cancer

May 20, 2010
Scott Hayden

Oral Cancer is Treatable if Caught Early - chilombiano

Similar to other types of cancer, oral cancer can be life threatening if it's not treated early. Most cases are diagnosed in people over the age of 50.

According to the American Cancer Society, 35,720 adults were diagnosed with oral cancer in the United States in 2009. Tissue changes in the mouth that might signal the beginnings of cancer can often be seen and felt easily, and the person most likely to discover anything unusual is a dentist. Oral cancer can develop in the lips, tongue, gums and in the lining of the cheeks. There are some other warning signs that shouldn't be ignored.

Detecting Oral Cancer

Consult a physician if any of these symptoms appear:

Mouth ulcers that bleed easily.
Feeling as if something is caught in the throat.
Swelling in the jaw or neck.
Changes in voice that aren't caused by colds or allergies.
Persistent numbness or pain anywhere in the mouth or on the lips.

Oral cancer is an insidious illness, because there may be no pain at all. Other symptoms like a persistent earache and sensory loss of the face can also be warning signs of oral cancer, but could be mistaken for other problems.

Types of Oral Cancer

Oral cancer can be classified into numerous groups.

Oral cavity cancer: This cancer starts in the mouth, which includes the tongue, the buccal mucosa (the lining of the inside of the cheeks), the hard palate (the roof of the mouth), the floor of the mouth under the tongue, and the retromolar trigone (the small area behind the wisdom teeth).
Oropharyngeal cancer: The oropharynx is the middle part of the throat behind the mouth, and includes the soft palates, the base of the tongue, uvula, and tonsils.
Squamous cell carcinoma: This kind of cancer begins in the flat cells that cover the surface of the oral cavity and the oropharynx. It rarely causes further problems when treated early. If not, the disease can cause serious complications.
Minor salivary gland cancer: This rare form of cancer affects the parotid, sublingual and submandibular glands located near the ears, below the tongue, and under the jawbone.

How Oral Cancer is Treated

Oral cancer is treated the same way many other cancers are treated. Doctors will perform surgery to remove malignant tissue followed by radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy to destroy any lingering cancer cells. A combination of those treatments can be used depending on the stage of the disease.

Tips to Prevent Oral Cancer

Oral cancer often begins in people who smoke or chew tobacco. The possibility of developing cancer in the mouth is a great reason to quit smoking, or never to start. Decreasing alcohol consumption and limiting sun exposure will also help.

Chewing betel nut is a common practice in several Asian countries, and it's used as a substitute for cigarettes and to suppress hunger. A study by the World Health Organization in 2003 determined that of the 390,000 cases of oral cancer estimated to occur annually in the world, 58% of them are in South and South-East Asia.

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Scott Hayden - Since joining Suite101 in early 2007, I've contributed articles about travel, history and health. My speciality is writing about workplace ...