Introduction
Mouth
cancer, also known as oral cancer, is where a tumourdevelops on the surface of
the tongue, mouth, lips or gums.
Tumours can
also occur in the salivary glands, tonsils and the pharynx (the part of the
throat from your mouth to your windpipe) but these are less common.
Symptoms
of mouth cancer include:
- red or white
patches on the lining of your mouth or tongue
- ulcers
- a lump
See
your GP if these symptoms do not heal within three weeks, especially
if you're a heavy drinker or smoker.
Types of mouth cancer
A
cancer that develops on the inside or outside layer of the body is called a
carcinoma and these types of cancer are categorised by the type of cells the
cancer starts in.
Squamous
cell carcinoma is the most common type of mouth cancer, accounting for nine out
of 10 cases. Squamous cells are found in many places around the body, including
the inside of the mouth and under the skin.
Less
common types of mouth cancer include:
- oral
malignant melanoma – where
the cancer starts in cells called melanocytes, which help give skin its
colour
- adenocarcinomas – cancers that
develop inside the salivary glands
What causes mouth cancer?
Mouth
cancer occurs when something goes wrong with the normal cell lifecycle, causing
them to grow and reproduce uncontrollably.
Risk
factors for developing mouth cancer include:
- smoking or using
products that contain tobacco
- drinking alcohol –
smokers who are also heavy drinkers have a much higher risk compared to
the population at large
- infection
with the human
papilloma virus (HPV), the virus that causes genital
warts
Who is affected by mouth cancer?
Mouth
cancer is an uncommon type of cancer, accounting for one in 50 of all cancer
cases.
In
the UK, just over 6,767 new cases of mouth cancer were diagnosed in 2011 (the
latest reliable data).
Most
cases of mouth cancer first develop in older adults who are between 50-74 years
of age.
Mouth
cancer can occur in younger adults, but it's thought that HPV infection may be
responsible for the majority of cases that occur in younger people.
Mouth
cancer is more common in men than in women. This is thought to be due to the
fact that, on average, men drink more alcohol than women.
Treating mouth cancer
There
are three main treatment options for mouth cancer. They are:
- surgery – where
the cancerous cells are surgically removed and, in some cases, some of the
surrounding tissue
- chemotherapy – where powerful
medications are used to kill cancerous cells
- radiotherapy – where high
energy X-rays are used to kill
cancerous cells
These
treatments are often used in combination. For example, a course of radiotherapy
and chemotherapy may be given after surgery to help prevent the cancer
returning.
Complications of mouth cancer
Dysphagia
can be a potentially serious problem. If small pieces of food enter your
airways and become lodged in your lungs, it could trigger a chest infection,
known as aspiration pneumonia.
Reducing the risk
The
three most effective ways to prevent mouth cancer from developing – or prevent
it reocurring after successful treatment – are:
- not smoking
- keeping
to the recommended weekly limits for alcohol consumption (21 units for men
and 14 units for women (read more about alcohol
units)
- eating
a 'Mediterranean-style diet', with plenty of fresh vegetables
(particularly tomatoes), citrus fruits, olive oil and fish (read more
about healthy
eating)
It's
also important that you have regular dental
check-ups because
dentists can often spot the early stages of mouth cancer.
Outlook
If
mouth cancer is diagnosed early, a complete cure is often possible using a
combination of radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgery.
The
outlook for mouth cancer can vary depending on which part of the mouth is
affected and whether it has spread from the mouth into surrounding tissue. The
outlook is much better if the cancer is diagnosed early.
Overall,
an estimated 40% of people with cancer affecting the mouth and pharyx will live
at least five years after their diagnosis and many people live much longer.
However, the outlook is better for cancer affecting certain areas of the mouth,
such as the lip, tongue or oral cavity.
Mouth cancer
Carrie
Newlands, consultant oral and maxillofacial surgeon, talks about the causes and
symptoms of mouth cancer.
Media
last reviewed: 19/07/2014
Next
review due: 19/07/2016
Head and neck cancers
Mouth
cancer is a type of cancer that comes under the umbrella term 'cancers of the
head and neck'. Other types of head and neck cancers include:
- cancer
of the oesophagus (gullet)
- cancer
of the larynx (voice box)
- cancer
of the nasopharynx (the area where the nose and
throat connect)
- cancer
of the thyroid gland (a gland located on either
side of the windpipe)
Page
last reviewed: 05/06/2014
Next
review due: 05/06/2016
No comments:
Post a Comment