Cancer of the lip and oral cavity is a disease in which cancerous (malignant) cells are found in the tissues of the lip or mouth. The oral cavity involves the facade two thirds of the tongue, the upper and lower gums (the gingiva), the lining of the inside of the cheeks and lips (the buccal mucosa), the bottom (floor) of the mouth under the tongue, the bony top of the mouth (the hard palate), and the small area behind the wisdom teeth (the retro molar trig one. Most lip and oral cavity cancers start in squamous cells, the thin, flat cells that line the lips and oral cavity. These are called squamous cell carcinomas. Cancer cells may spread into deeper tissue as the cancer grows. Squamous cell carcinoma usually grows in areas of leukoplakia. It is generally diagnosed in people who are over 45 years of age. Cancer of the lip is more frequent in men than in women, and is more probable to grow in people with light-colored skin who have been in the sun a lot. Cancer of the oral cavity is more common in people who chew tobacco or smoke pipes. They are caused by environmental factors that can trigger cell damage which then leads to the development of cancerous tumors which can spread throughout the oral cavity and to other areas. This type of cancer is extremely rare. In its early stages, this cancer is curable. If the cancer has multiply to other areas of the body exterior of the head or neck, the prognosis changes and becomes bleak. It is estimated that there will be more than 30,000 new cases of oral cavity cancer. The symptoms of oral cavity cancer include feeling as if something is caught in the throat, pain or difficulty in swallowing or chewing, swelling of the jaw, A white or red patch on the gums, tongue, or lining of the mouth and pain in the ear. Another sign of a cancer of the mouth or gums is when dentures no longer fit well. There are several treatments for patients with lip and oral cavity cancer. Surgery is a common treatment of cancer of the lip and oral cavity. The vet can remove the cancer and part of the healthy tissue located around the tumor. Surgery can also extract the neck lymph nodes (lymph nodes dissection. Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be taken by pill, or it may be put into the body by a needle in a vein or muscle. Hyperthermia is a new treatment being tested in certain patients. It uses a special machine to heat the body for a certain period of time to kill cancer cells.
Please Rate this Article 5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5
Not yet Rated
