Hi viewers and welcome back to another Bestie video!
The early signs of oral cancer can be difficult to spot and so, they are sometimes overlooked.
It can develop in a number of places, including your lips, inner lining of the cheeks, salivary
glands, gums, tongue, hard palate and soft palate.
Depending on where it first develops, it can present a variety of warning signs.
Oral cancer can interfere with eating, talking and even breathing.
Each year, between 30,000 and 50,000 Americans are diagnosed with this disease, and it claims
the lives of some 10,000 people.
But most cases are treatable, and the chances of treating it successfully are improved with
early diagnosis and treatment.
In today’s video, we will tell you the early warning signs of oral cancer.
We’ll also be talking about the different types, causes, risk factors and more.
So keep watching till the end.
Before we move onto the symptoms, it’s important for you to know about the types of Oral Cancers:
First, let’s clear one thing, not all tumors in the mouth are cancerous.
Some are benign, which means they are not cancer.
And some cases are called precancerous, which means they may develop into cancer.
Of cancerous oral tumors, more than 90 percent are a type of cancer called squamous cell
carcinoma.
These cancers arise in the lining of the oral cavity and can spread deeper into other nearby
parts of the mouth.
Other, less-common oral cancers include those arising in the salivary glands.
Ok with that out of the way, let’s talk about the symptoms:
Soreness in the mouth or on the lip that does not heal: This is the most common one.
You may also notice red or white patches on the gums, tongue, tonsil, or lining of the
mouth.
Lump on the lip, mouth, neck, or throat or a feeling of thickening in the cheek can also
be present.
Persistent sore throat or feeling that something is caught in the throat: This is yet another
regular warning sign of oral cancer.
It can also be accompanied by hoarseness or change in voice, numbness of the mouth or
tongue, pain or bleeding in the mouth and difficulty chewing, swallowing, or moving
the jaws or tongue.
Other signs may include ear or jaw pain, chronic bad breath, changes in speech, loosening of
teeth or toothache and dentures that no longer fit.
There may also be unexplained weight loss, fatigue, loss of appetite, especially when
prolonged.
This may happen during the later stages of the disease.
With that said, let’s tell you about the risk factors and causes of this disease:
Gender: Oral cancer is twice as common in men as in women.
This difference may be related to the use of alcohol and tobacco, which is a major risk
factor seen more commonly in men than in women.
Age: The average age at diagnosis for oral cancer is 62, and two-thirds of individuals
with this disease are over age 55, although it may occur in younger people, as well.
Ultraviolet light: Cancers of the lip are more common among people who work outdoors
and visit tanning beds, and among those with prolonged exposure to sunlight.
Poor nutrition: Studies have found a link between diets low in fruits and vegetables
and an increased oral cancer risk.
Genetic syndromes: Some inherited genetic mutations, which cause different syndromes
in the body, carry a high risk of oral cancer.
These include Fanconi anemia which is a blood condition caused by inherited abnormalities
in several genes.
Patients may experience symptoms at an early age and may develop anemia or aplastic anemia.
The risk of oral cancer among people with this condition is up to 500 times higher than
the general population.
Another mutation is Dyskeratosis congenita which is a genetically linked syndrome that
may also cause aplastic anemia, and carries a high risk of oral cancer, beginning at an
early age.
Poor oral hygiene: People with poor oral hygiene or dental care may have an increased risk
of oral cavity cancer.
Poor dental health or ongoing irritation from poorly fitting dentures, especially in people
who use alcohol and tobacco products, may contribute to an increased risk of oral cancer.
Regular examinations by a dentist or dental hygienist can help detect oral cavity cancer
at an early stage.
Tobacco use: About 80 percent of patients with oral cancers use tobacco in the form
of cigarettes, chewing tobacco or snuff.
The risk of developing this disease depends on the duration and frequency of tobacco use.
Smoking may lead to cancer in the mouth or throat, and oral tobacco products are associated
with cancer in the cheeks, gums, and inner surface of the lips.
Alcohol: About 70 percent of people diagnosed with oral cancer are heavy drinkers.
This risk is higher for people who use both alcohol and tobacco.
For people who smoke and drink heavily, the risk of oral cancer may be as high as 100
percent more than the risk for people who do not smoke or drink.
Betel quid: Many people in Southeast Asia and other parts of the world chew betel quid,
a leaf from the betel plant wrapped around areca nut and lime.
Chewing gutka, a combination of betel quid and tobacco, is also common.
Both of these substances are associated with an increased oral cancer risk.
Moving on, let’s tell you how Oral Cancer is diagnosed:
First, your doctor or dentist will perform a physical exam.
This includes closely examining the roof and floor of your mouth, the back of your throat,
tongue, and cheeks, and the lymph nodes in your neck.
If your doctor cannot determine why you’re having your symptoms, you may be referred
to an ear, nose, and throat or ENT specialist.
If they find any tumors, growths, or suspicious lesions, they’ll perform a brush biopsy
or a tissue biopsy.
A brush biopsy is a painless test that collects cells from the tumor by brushing them onto
a slide.
A tissue biopsy involves removing a piece of the tissue so it can be examined under
a microscope for cancerous cells.
In addition, they may also perform one or more of the following tests:
X-rays to see if cancer cells have spread to the jaw, chest, or lungs
A CT scan to reveal any tumors in your mouth, throat, neck, lungs, or elsewhere in your
body A PET scan to determine if the cancer has
traveled to lymph nodes or other organs An MRI scan to show a more accurate image
of the head and neck, and determine the extent or stage of the cancer
An endoscopy to examine the nasal passages, sinuses, inner throat, windpipe, and trachea
Depending on what stage is the Oral Cancer discovered, it can be divided into four categories:
Stage 1: This is when cancer has not spread and the size of the tumor is less than 2 centimeters.
Stage 2: The tumor cells still haven’t spread, but the tumor is slightly larger, about 2-4
centimeters.
Stage 3: The tumor is now larger than 4 centimeters and could have spread to a lymph node.
Stage 4: The tumor is large, and the cancer cells have spread to nearby tissues, lymph
nodes or even other parts of the body.
Finally Let’s talk about how oral cancer can be treated:
The earlier this cancer is detected, higher are the chances of survival after treatment.
If detected in Stage 1 or 2, the survival rates are over 80 percent, Stage 3 is around
65 percent while Stage 4 is 30-38 percent.
Treatment will vary depending on the type, location, and stage of the cancer at diagnosis.
Here are a few methods:
Surgery: Surgery is the main treatment for most oral cancers.
Depending on the stage and location of the tumour, you may have surgeries like wide local
excision in which the tumour is removed along with a margin of normal tissue around it.
It is used for small, early-stage oral cancers.
Another procedure that might be performed is glossectomy where part or all of your tongue
is removed.
Other procedures include Mandibulectomy, to remove part or all of the lower jawbone and
Maxillectomy, to remove part or all of the upper jawbone.
Radiation therapy: This method uses high-energy rays or particles to destroy cancer cells.
It may be used to treat oral cancer.
It is most commonly used after surgery to destroy cancer cells that may have been left
behind and to reduce the risk of the cancer recurring.
It may also be given to the neck to prevent the spread of cancer to the lymph nodes or
lower the risk of cancer recurring.
Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is sometimes used to treat oral cancer.
It is often used with radiation therapy after surgery to treat oral cancer.
It can also be used along with radiation if surgery is not possible or to treat advanced
cancer.
Immunotherapy: An immunotherapy drug may be given if the cancer comes back or spreads
and has stopped responding to chemotherapy with drugs.
Follow-up care: Follow-up after treatment is an important part of cancer care.
You will need to have regular follow-up visits, especially in the first 5 years after treatment
has finished.
These visits allow your healthcare team to monitor your progress and recovery from treatment.
Do you have any of the habits that can cause oral cancer?
Which one would be the most difficult to get rid of?
Let us know in the comments section below!