Oral Cancer is the cancer occurring within the oral cavity and around the mouth. The oral cancer often occurs on the lips, tongue, cheek, and palate. Under the microscope, the cancerous tissue has a similar characteristics and they are called the squamous cell carcinoma. The growth and spread of the cancerous cells can be rapid. Over 70% of all oral cancer cases can be attributed to the history of smoking. Other factors can also increase the oral cancer risks:
– Excessive alcoholic drinking
– Poor oral hygiene
– Chronic stimulation from roughen surface of teeth, dental restoration and prosthesis
– Human Papilloma Virus
Oral cancer can start from small ulcer or cyst in the mouth. Early detection is especially important because the growth of oral cancer can be rapid. A simple oral cancer biopsy and laboratory analysis can verify if a person has oral cancer. If the tumor is small, treatment can include excision biopsy. For more severe cases, treatment would be chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Oral cancer can be a dangerous type of cancer because the growth and spread of oral cancer cells can be rapid. The cancerous cells can spread through the lymphantic system and the cancer can spread to other region of the body. In addition, the morbidity of the cancer is high. In some cases, cancerous tumor removal requires cutting away part of the facial and oral cavity structure such as tongue, jaw bone and cheek tissue.
Dentist is the first medical professional to review your oral health condition. I routinely perform intraoral and extraoral cancer check for my patients when they come for periodic checkup and cleaning visits.
Written by Daniel Tee, DDS, MS
Practicing General Dentist Serving Tempe, Chandler, Phoenix, Mesa, and Gilbert Arizona
