![]() In order to determine the stage, they may perform an endoscopy, where doctors use a small camera to inspect your throat, or they may order imaging tests, like CT scans, PET scans, and MRIs, to gather more information. The stage of the cancer ranges from 0 to 4 and helps your doctor counsel you on the likelihood of successful treatment. If oral cancer is diagnosed, your medical team will then determine how far along the cancer is, or the stage of the cancer. If they suspect something is abnormal, they may conduct a biopsy where they take a small sample of the area for testing. To determine if you have oral cancer, your doctor or dentist will usually perform a physical exam to inspect any areas of irritation such as sores or white patches. They'll be able to rule out more common causes first, like an infection. If you're experiencing any of these issues and they persist for more than two weeks, see a doctor. Oral cancer can present itself in many different ways, which could include: a lip or mouth sore that doesn't heal, a white or reddish patch on the inside of your mouth, loose teeth, a growth or lump inside your mouth, mouth pain, ear pain, and difficulty or pain while swallowing, opening your mouth or chewing. Other risk factors include a diet that lacks fruit and vegetables, chronic irritation or inflammation in the mouth, and a weakened immune system. Those with HPV, human papillomavirus, have a higher chance of developing oral cancer as well. Heavy alcohol use also increases the risk. If you use any kind of tobacco, cigarettes, cigars, pipes, chewing tobacco, and others, you're at a greater risk. ![]() There are several known risk factors that could increase your risk of developing oral cancer. Just over 20% of cases occur in patients younger than 55. The average age of those diagnosed with oral cancer is 63. And like other cancers, a large amount of effort has been dedicated to determining causes and improving treatments. Oral cancer is curable if detected at an early stage. These mutated cells accumulate, forming a tumor that grows in the mouth and often spread to lymph nodes in the neck. Small changes to the DNA of the squamous cells make the cells grow abnormally. Most often they begin in the flat, thin cells that line your lips and the inside of your mouth. Oral cancer forms when cells on the lips or in the mouth mutate. Your lips, gums, tongue, cheeks, roof or floor of the mouth. Oral cancer, also called mouth cancer, forms in the oral cavity, which includes all parts of your mouth that you can see if you open wide and look in the mirror. Whether you're looking for answers for yourself or someone you love, we're here to give you the best information available. In this video, we'll cover the basics of oral cancer: What is it? Who gets it? The symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. Katharine Price, an oncologist at Mayo Clinic.
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