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Throat anatomy
Throat anatomy
Mouth anatomy
Mouth anatomy
OverviewSymptomsTreatmentPrevention

Oral cancer

Alternative Names:
Cancer - mouth; Mouth cancer; Head and neck cancer; Squamous cell cancer - mouth

Treatment:

Surgical excision (removal) of the tumor is usually recommended if the tumor is small enough. Radiation therapy and chemotherapy would likely be used when the tumor is larger or has spread to lymph nodes in the neck. Surgery may be necessary for large tumors.

Rehabilitation may include speech therapy or other therapy to improve movement, chewing, swallowing, and speech.



Support Groups:
The stress of illness can often be helped by joining a support group where members share common experiences and problems. See cancer - support group.

Expectations (prognosis):

Approximately 50% of people with oral cancer will live for longer than 5 years. If the cancer is detected early, before it has spread to other tissues, the cure rate is nearly 75%. Unfortunately, more than 50% of oral cancers are advanced at the time the cancer is detected. Most have spread to the throat or neck.

Approximately 25% of people die from oral cancer because of delayed diagnosis and treatment.



Complications:
  • Postoperative disfigurement of the face, head and neck
  • Complications of radiation therapy, including dry mouth and difficulty swallowing
  • Other metastasis (spread) of the cancer


Calling your health care provider:
This disorder may be discovered when the dentist performs a routine cleaning and examination.

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if a lesion of the mouth or lip or a lump(s) in the neck are present and do not clear within 1 month. Early diagnosis and treatment of oral cancer greatly increases the chances of survival.


Review Date: 7/11/2002
Reviewed By: Ezra Cohen, Ezra E.W. Cohen, M.D., Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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