What is oral cancer?

Cancer is defined as the unruly growth of cells that attack and cause damage to surrounding tissue. Oral cancer can form in any part of the mouth or throat. It involves abnormal, malignant tissue growth in the mouth, i.e. lips and tongue. It may also occur on the floor of the mouth, lining of the cheeks, on gums, or palate.

Signs and Symptoms of Oral Cancer

• Swellings/thickenings, lumps or bumps, rough spots/crusts/or eroded areas on the lips, gums, or other areas inside the mouth
  
• A soreness or feeling that something is caught in the back of the throat
  
• A white or red patch on the gums, tongue or lining of the mouth
  
• Unusual bleeding, pain or numbness in the mouth
  
• Trouble or pain with chewing, jaw opening, speaking or moving.
  
• Tooth loosening
  
• Bad breath
  
• Sensory loss of the face
  
• Weight loss
  
• A lump in your neck
  
• An earache

Causes

• Drinking excessive alcohol, especially when combined with smoking
  
• Using cigarettes, cigars, and pipes
  
• Chewing tobacco
  
• Spending a long time in the sun or under UV light - a risk factor for lip cancer, particularly in pale skin
  
• Poor diet, lacking vitamins A, C and E and iron, selenium and zinc
  
• If you had Kaposi's sarcoma cancer, which can affect any part of the skin

How to Prevent Oral Cancer

• Avoid tobacco and alcohol use
  
• Visit your dentist/doctor every 6 months for dental check-ups
  
• Eat a well balanced diet
  
• Limit your exposure to the sun

Treatment

Oral cancer is treated the same way many other cancers are treated: surgery to remove the cancerous growth followed by radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy to destroy any remaining cancer cells.

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