According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, almost 36,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral or pharyngeal cancer in 2010. Oral cancer is the uncontrollable growth of cells that attack surrounding tissue. There are many types of oral cancers that affect the mouth, but all appear as a growth or sore in the infected area.
The different types of oral cancers include:
- Lip cancer
- Gum cancer
- Cheek cancer
- Tongue cancer
- Palate cancer
- Sinus cancer
- Pharynx (throat) cancer
- Floor of the mouth cancer
In the past, oral cancer was thought to only affect people over the age of 40. However these days, younger people are much more susceptible due to various reasons and oral cancer is not known to be discriminatory to genders, but does affect African Americans up to twice as often as other races.
Oral Cancer Symptoms
There are numerous different symptoms of oral cancer you and your dentist should watch for, including:
- Lumps or bumps on any part of the mouth
- Unexplained bleeding in the mouth
- Unexplained numbness or pain/tenderness in the mouth, face, or neck
- Velvety white, red, or speckled (white and red) patches that develop in the mouth
- Ear pain
- Difficulty chewing, swallowing, speaking, or moving in the jaw
- Soreness in the back of your throat
- Sores or lesions on the face, neck, or mouth that easily bleed and do not heal for more than 14 days
- Rapid weight loss
- Change in voice, hoarseness, constant sore throat
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you should contact either your dentist or a health care professional immediately. Oral cancer causes 8,000 deaths per year, or one death per hour in the United States. Oral cancer causes more deaths than other cancers we constantly hear about, such as cervical cancer or lung cancer.
Oral Cancer Causes
To this day, researchers have a hard time concluding oral cancer is due to genetics. Instead, it seems that all types of oral cancers are caused by lifestyle choices. Over 75% of oral cancer patients are tobacco users. Cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and smokeless, chew tobacco are all the culprits. Forty years ago, men out numbered women 6 to1 for oral cancer. In 2010, the ratio is now 2 to 1. Experts believe it’s due to the increase in women smokers and alcohol users.
However, there are alarming statistics showing an increase of young oral cancer patients who do not use tobacco products. These young patients have contracted HPV16, or the human papilloma virus. It’s a sexually transmitted disease this is being conclusively implicated in the rise of young non-smoking oral cancer patients. HPV16 is also a causative agent, meaning in general, it’s the primary reason and initiation of the disease process. Excessive alcohol and sun exposure, especially when young, are also linked to different types of oral cancers, including gum cancer.
Oral Cancer Treatment
There are several ways to treat oral cancer, but sometimes the cancer can be difficult to get rid or completely, or it will continue to recur. Various treatment methods for oral cancer include:
Surgery - Generally, dentists turn to surgery to remove an oral tumor. Sometimes, the lymph nodes in the neck have to also be removed (they are a gateway for cancerous, damaging cells).
Radiation – Radiation therapy can be either external, internal or implant radiation therapy.
Chemotherapy - Chemotherapy is the treatment of drugs to kill cancer cells, control or cure the disease.
Rehabilitation - Oftentimes, a patient will struggle to talk and eat while suffering from oral cancer. When ready, they can go through speech therapy, dietary consulting and other rehabilitation methods.
Preventing Oral Cancer
Preventing oral cancer can be as simple as making lifestyle changes while you’re young, visiting the dentist and doctor on a regular basis, and practice safe sex. All of these things can prevent oral cancer, as well as other types of cancers, conditions and diseases. Eating a well balanced diet and taking daily vitamins can also prevent this infectious cancer. Another thing you can do once a month is to give yourself an oral exam. Get to know your mouth. Don’t panic on every little bump (especially since our tongues and cheeks are covered with them naturally) but get to know the symptoms more and pay attention.
Unfortunately, the main reason why oral cancer takes so many of its victims and why most people who are diagnosed are older in age, is because discovery is generally not made until the oral cancer has spread (mostly into the neck lymph nodes) to another area of the head or neck. It is very important to see your dentist regularly so he or she may be able to spot oral cancer while it’s in its early stages.
