Oral or mouth cancer is one of the most common types of head and neck cancer that mainly affects people who are above the age of 60. These types of cancers can develop at any part of your oral cavity including the floor or roof of the mouth, tongue, gums, lips, and inner area of the cheeks. If you experience any abnormal signs or sores in the mouth then without any delay you must visit an oncologist and get oral cancer treatment in Siliguri immediately in case oral cancer is detected.
There is no clear cause of oral or mouth cancer but DNA changes or mutations are considered the main reason behind it. These DNA changes tell the cells to grow abnormally which then forms a malignant tumor. You must know that smoking habits, alcohol consumption, HPV infection, and family history are some of the risk factors that could lead you to oral cancers. In most cases, mouth cancers are squamous cell carcinomas but in some instances, they can also be malignant melanomas, lymphomas, or adenocarcinomas.
Common Symptoms Associated With Oral Cancers
The symptoms of oral cancers depend on the location and severity of the cancer. One of the most common signs of this cancer that is often mistaken as a general problem is abnormal patches inside the mouth. Herein, the patches can be grey, white, or red which can even be either flat or slightly raised. The other common symptoms of these types of cancers include-
- Tenderness or numbness in the mouth without any exact cause
- Sore in the mouth or lips that has not healed for several days
- Bleeding inside the mouth without any injury
- Crusty or rough spots in the mouth, lips, or gum
- Loose teeth
- Mouth or ear pain
- Painful or difficulty swallowing food
- A lump or abnormal growth inside the mouth
Effective Tests Done To Diagnose Oral Or Mouth Cancers
Once the doctor has suspicions about oral cancer by reviewing your symptoms and medical history, he will advise certain diagnostic procedures and test. The first test that the cancer specialist in Siliguri will perform is a physical examination that will help him to check for any abnormal patches or sores inside the mouth or lips.
If any abnormalities are found, you will be then advised to undergo a biopsy where certain tissues from the affected area are collected to test for the presence of cancer cells. In some specialized cases, endoscopy and other imaging tests such as PET CT, MRI, and CT scan are also done.
Learn About The Various Stages Of Oral Cancer
The TNM system is followed to stage the oral cancers, where T indicates the size of the tumor, N indicates the spread of the cancer cells in the lymph nodes, and M indicates whether the tumor is metastasized or not. The main stages of oral cancer that help the oncologist in Siliguri determine the severity of the cancer include-
T1- The T1 is the first stage of cancer where the malignant tumor is just 2cm in size.
T2- If the tumor is 2-4 cm in size then the oral cancer is in the T2 stage.
T3- Malignant tumors inside the mouth that are more than 4cm in size are determined as the T3 stage.
Advanced Oral Cancer Treatments In Siliguri
The most common treatment for oral cancer is surgery where the affected areas are removed to stop the spread of cancer cells. Some common surgical interventions are maxillectomy, primary tumor surgery, neck dissection, and sentinel lymph node biopsy. Other therapies that can also be used to treat cancer are-
- Immunotherapy
- Chemotherapy
- Targeted drug therapy
- Radiation therapy
Despite having various available oral cancer treatment in Siliguri, it is not always possible to fully cure the oral cancers and their reoccurrence. This is why you must always prioritize adopting preventive measures to stay away from this life-threatening disease. Some such measures include smoking cessation, reducing sun exposure, avoiding alcohol consumption, and scheduling routine check-ups.
