What You Ought to Know about Oral Cancer?

Author: Will Sievier

Oral Cancer is caused by the abnormal growth of malignant cells in any part of the oral cavity like lips, cheek lining, salivary glands, hard palate, soft palate, uvula, area under the tongue, gums, teach, tongue, and tonsils. Over usage of alcohol, sun exposure and victims of head and neck cancer, and human papilloma virus infection are more prone to oral cancer. Generally, oral cancer is diagnosed by any best oral surgeon in Sydney based on the patient's history, physical examination and by a biopsy of oral tissue, CT scans, MRI scans and PET scans. The Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI) recently found that individuals infected with the hepatitis C virus are two to five times more likely to develop head and neck cancers.

What Should You Look for Before Screening?

  • Red or white patches in the mouth
  • Lumps on the tongue
  • Lining of the mouth
  • Mouth sores that won’t heal
  • Unexplained bleeding
  • Chronic throat soreness
  • Difficulty in chewing or swallowing
  • Mouth numbness

Different Stages of Oral Cancer

Oral cancer is classified into four different stages, stage 1, stage 2, stage 3, and stage 4.

Stage 1 & 2: These stages usually involve a small tumour and at this stage cancer cells have not spread to the lymph nodes.

Stage 3 & 4: These stages of oral cancer are considered as advanced stages of cancer and the tumours are found large. The cancer cells have usually spread to the lymph nodes or other parts of the body.

The average survival rate of oral cancer is 81% and it is reduced to 56% and 40% after 5 years and 10 years respectively. The chance of survival rate is higher when oral cancer is diagnosed and treated at the earliest stage.

Different Types of Oral Cancer Treatments

Depending on the type, location and stage of the oral cancer, the treatment options may vary.

Oral Surgery

A minor oral surgery similar to a wisdom tooth removal in Sydney is performed to remove the tumour and cancerous lymph nodes and other tissue around the mouth and neck. This treatment process can be performed by oral surgeons and is done at the early stages of cancer.

Radiation Therapy

This treatment process is used for advanced stages of cancer and should be done once or twice a day, five days a week, for two to eight weeks.

Chemotherapy

This is an advanced treatment process which involves drugs to kill cancer cells. The drug can be given to the patients through intravenous (IV) line or orally and hospitalisation is required in some cases.

Targeted therapy is another form of oral cancer treatment which can be employed in both early and advanced stages of oral cancer. Also, sticking to a proper nutrition schedule help you to plan a food menu that will be gentle on your mouth and throat, and will provide your body with the calories, vitamins, and minerals it needs.

The author is the leading oral surgeon in Sydney specialising in wisdom teeth removal, dental implants and other oral surgeries. In this article he writes about the risk factors and treatment options for oral cancer. Visit http://wisdomteethsydney.com.au for more information.