Oral cancer, also known as mouth cancer, is a type of head and neck cancer that develops in the mouth, lips, or upper throat. It's most often caused by tobacco use, heavy alcohol consumption, or the human papillomavirus (HPV), but other causes may not be ignored. Oral cancer is completely curable if detected early.
Oral cancer usually starts as a painless red or white patch on the tongue, lips, or inside of the mouth. Over time, the patch thickens, ulcerates, and grows. Common symptoms are Red or white patches, ulcers, lumps, pain when swallowing, difficulty opening the mouth, swollen lymph nodes, bad breath. As the cancer grows, the cells may spread into deeper tissue and to other parts of the body, most commonly the lymph nodes in the neck. It’s often too late until cancer is detected, often due to ignorance of the patient to visit a doctor or due to financial burden on visiting and consulting a doctor and cost associated with diagnostics.
Oral cancer is most common in people over 40 and affects about thrice as many men as women. Oral cancer is a major problem in India, where it accounts for over 30% of all cancers. In 2022, the estimated incidence rate of oral cancer in India was 14.7 per 100,000 men and 5.0 per 100,000 women. India has the highest prevalence of oral cancer in the world, with 19 cases per 100,000 people. Indians are diagnosed with oral cancer at a younger age than people in Western countries. Early detection and prevention are key to reducing the burden of oral cancer in India.
Regular self-exams can help catch oral cancer early, when it's easier to treat. To perform a self-exam, you can:
But its always suggested to visit a dentist for effective and early diagnosis. Self-medication is not always reliable.
Oral cancer screenings can include visual inspections, physical examinations, and other procedures:
A dentist or other provider examines the mouth, lips, tongue, palate, and other areas for signs of cancer, such as red or white patches, sores, or lumps. A mouth mirror can help with visualization. You can also check your own mouth for signs of oral cancer by looking for red or white patches, lumps, or sores that persist or bleed.
The provider feels the mouth, tongue, floor of the mouth, and neck for lumps or other abnormalities.
A blue dye is applied to lesions in the mouth to identify areas that are more likely to be cancerous.
The provider feels the neck for enlarged lymph nodes.
A special light is used to view lesions in the mouth after a patient uses a fluorescent mouth rinse.
Cells are gently scraped from the mouth with a brush, cotton, or small wooden stick and examined under a microscope.
A brush is used to remove cells from a lesion and examine them under a microscope. Any abnormalities that last longer than two weeks should be re-evaluated and considered for a biopsy.
But its always best to visit an Oral Health care facility and seek medical advice related to any abnormal symptom. Nothing shall be treated as normal. Best way to prevent and treat Cancer is early diagnosis, detection and treatment. Any delay may lead to lose the battle.
Dr. Sinny’s Dental Clinic provides free consultation for medical cases related to screening of Oral/Mouth Cancer. We will also provide every reasonable support till one win this battle.