Signs to detect oral cancer early

You need to see a doctor immediately if the ulcer does not heal after 2 weeks, the tooth extraction site does not heal, the tooth is loose for unknown reasons, or there is difficulty chewing...

Oral cancer is the 6th most common cancer in the world, 4th in men and 8th in women. The rate of oral cancer increases with age, increasing significantly after the age of 40, the most common age is 60 - 70, rarely found in young people. Common locations are the tongue, lips, floor of the mouth and less common in the gums, inside of the cheeks, pharynx...

Cigarette smoke and alcohol are the two leading causes of oral cancer. People who have the habit of chewing betel and tobacco are prone to cancer of the inside of the cheek. Long-term exposure to UV rays in sunlight, especially in people with light skin, is prone to damage to the DNA in skin cells, causing cancer. Poor oral hygiene and improperly made dentures can easily lead to irritation of the mucous membranes, causing cancer.

Cigarette smoke and alcohol are the two leading causes of oral cancer. Photo: bestwalls.

Oral cancer is a lesion in the form of ulcers, buds or hard, sticky, unclear boundaries, painless (painful in late stages or when nerve invasion), progresses rapidly, often metastasizes to the cervical lymph nodes. Locally invasive oral cancer rarely metastasizes to distant sites.

Patients should see a specialist immediately if the following symptoms appear:

- Ulcer does not heal after 2 weeks.

- Sclerosing, cauliflower-like lesions in the mouth.

- White/red/black patches in mouth, tooth extraction socket not healing.

- Loose teeth for unknown reasons.

- Functional impairment: difficulty chewing, difficulty speaking, increased salivation.

Treatment of oral cancer is mainly surgery and chemotherapy, chemotherapy is only supportive, the goal of treatment is to cure the disease and ensure acceptable aesthetic function.

Early detection of oral cancer plays an important role in treatment and prognosis. If the lesion is small, 60-70% of patients live after 5 years of treatment, if the lesion is slightly larger, the 5-year survival rate drops to 40-50%. If detected late, after the lymph node metastasis stage, the cure rate is greatly reduced.

Staying away from tobacco, drinking alcohol in moderation, giving up the habit of chewing betel and tobacco, limiting exposure to UV rays, practicing good oral hygiene and correcting improperly made dentures are effective measures to prevent oral cancer.

According to VnExpress