My dad has mouth cancer

My 60-year-old dad has been having a growth in his mouth for over a year now. He also has difficulty eating and swallowing. A pathologist did an investigation and confirmed that he has oral cancer. Please provide information about it.

Precious B.

Oral cancer can be defined as a cancer anywhere in the front of the mouth. It includes any cancer on the lips, tongue, inside surface of the cheeks, hard palate (the front of the roof of the mouth), or gums. Cancers in the back of the mouth, such as on the soft palate (the back of the roof of the mouth) or the back of the throat, are not considered oral cancer. Oral cancer occurs more often in men than in women.

Symptoms oral cancer

A mouth sore that doesn’t heal.

An area in mouth that becomes discoloured and stays that way.

A lump or thickening in the cheek that doesn’t go away. A sore throat

doesn’t go that away.

Voice changes.

Trouble chewing or swallowing. Trouble moving jaw or tongue. Loose teeth. Numbness in the tongue another part of the mouth. Pain around the teeth or in the jaw. the

Pain or irritation in the mouth that doesn’t go away. Unexplained weight loss. Swelling in the jaw. A lump or mass in the neck. The constant feeling that something is caught in the throat.

However, it is good to know that most often these symptoms are caused by other less serious medical problems.

Diagnosis

of or

Diagnosis starts with a physical exam. If your doctor suspects a problem, you may need to see an oral surgeon or an ear, nose and throat surgeon. To test for cancer, the surgeon will do a biopsy, which involves removing a small piece of tissue from the abnormal area. The tissue is then examined under a microscope. After the diagnosis is made, your doctor will determine if the cancer has spread beyond the oral cavity with other tests.

Prevention

The biggest risk factors for oral cancer are smoking and using smokeless tobacco (chewing tobacco). Drinking alcohol is another big risk factor. If one smokes or chews tobacco and drinks alcohol, risk is even higher.

If you smoke or chew tobacco, get help to stop. If one smokes or chews tobacco now or did so in the past, watch for symptoms. Ask a doctor or dentist to check mouth at least once a year for abnormal areas, so that cancer can be found early.

Cancer of the lip is linked to too much time in the sun. If one is outside a lot, especially as part of job, take these steps for protection:

Try to avoid the sun during the midday hours, when it’s strongest.

Wear a wide-brimmed hat.

Treatment

Treatment depends on where the cancer started and its stage. Surgery, the most common treatment, involves removing the tumor and some healthy tissue around it. In many cases, the surgeon can remove the tumor through the mouth. But sometimes, the surgeon will need to remove the tumor through the neck or jaw.

Radiation therapy is the primary treatment for some small tumors. It uses high-energy x-rays to kill cancer cells. In some cases, patients who have surgery also receive radiation therapy to make sure that all cancer cells are destroyed.

Doctors may prescribe chemotherapy to shrink tumors before surgery. If a tumor is too large to be operated on, chemotherapy and radiation therapy can ease symptoms.