Is there anything new in oral cancer research?
Recently, researchers at Hopkins have identified a virus -- the human papillomavirus -- that seems to be associated with the development of cancers in the oral pharynx, which is the area behind the back of the tongue and the tonsils, in people who don't have a history of alcohol or tobacco use.
What are the symptoms of oral cancer?
There are some warning signs that everyone should be aware of: pain; bleeding from the mouth; difficulty swallowing; ear pain, particularly if it is one-sided; a dental problem like a loose tooth; a lump in the neck. Many dentists do inspect [at a routine checkups] the gums and tongue for cancers.
When a patient does consult you about oral cancer, what typically are the symptoms he has noticed?
The most common presentations include pain or a growth, or they may simply notice something isn't right: an unexplained new pain or ulcer in the mouth. An ulcer that doesn't heal in a few days is of concern.
What is the treatment?
The first step after a thorough head-and-neck exam is to get a biopsy to make sure it is (or is not) cancer and to discover what kind. Treatment depends upon what stage the cancer is. If these cancers are diagnosed at an early stage, the cure rate is very high.
Treatment might include surgery for oral-cavity tumors. When the cancer is advanced, meaning the tumors are large or have spread to the lymph nodes, it usually also requires radiation in addition to surgery and maybe chemo.
Is there any way of preventing oral cancer?
If you have any of the risk factors for oral cancer such as tobacco use or heavy alcohol use, quitting those habits is the first step.
Smoking raises your risk of oral cancer six times above that of the general population, and drinking heavily raises it four times. The combination of both heavy drinking (more than two drinks a day on a regular basis) and smoking raises your risk level by 20 times.
Even without those risk factors, you should be vigilant about having any new symptom checked out by a doctor. Pay attention to your body, and listen to it. Better safe than sorry is a good saying, and it is particularly true for oral cancer.
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