How to Recognizing Other of Oral Cancer, Is Cancer Curable

How to Recognizing Other of Oral Cancer, Is Cancer Curable

Don't ignore chewing difficulty. Due to the development of leukoplakia, erythroplakia, lumps, rough patches and/or pain, patients with oral cancer often complain of difficulty chewing, as well as moving their jaw or tongue in general.[8] The displacement or loosening of teeth due to a cancerous growth can also make it difficult to chew properly, so take note if these changes occur.

If you're elderly, don't always assume poor fitting dentures are to blame for not being able to chew normally. If they once fit well, then something in your mouth has changed.

Mouth cancer, particularly of the tongue or cheeks, can cause you to bite down on your own tissues more often while chewing.

Note: If you're an adult and notice your teeth getting loose or becoming crooked, then make an appointment with your dentist as soon as you can.





Take note of swallowing problems. Due also to the growth of sore spots and lumps, as well as difficulty moving their tongue, many oral cancer patients also complain of not being able to swallow properly.  It may start out just with swallowing food, but advanced throat cancer can make if difficult to swallow beverages or even your own saliva.

Throat cancer can cause swelling and narrowing of the esophagus (the tube that leads to your stomach), as well as a chronically inflamed throat that hurts with each swallow. Cancer of the esophagus is known for a rapidly progressive dysphagia, or problems swallowing.

Throat cancer can also cause numbness in your throat and/or the feeling that something is caught there, like a "frog" in the throat.

Cancer of the tonsils and back half of the tongue can also cause great difficulty swallowing.



Listen for changes in your voice. Another common sign of oral cancer, especially during the late stages, is difficulty talking. Not being able to move the tongue and/or jaw properly can affect your ability to pronounce words. Your voice may also become more hoarse and change its timber as throat cancer or other types affect the vocal cords. As such, recognize any changes in your voice, or listen to people who claim you're talking differently.

Sudden, unexplained changes to your voice may indicate the presence of a lesion on or near your vocal chords.

Due to a feeling of something caught in their throat, people with oral cancer sometimes develop an audible tic of constantly trying to clear their throats.

An airway obstruction due to cancer can also change how you speak and the quality of your voice.







Seeking a Medical Diagnosis



Make an appointment with your doctor or dentist. If any signs or symptoms last for more than two weeks or quickly get worse, then contact your doctor or dentist as soon as you can. Unless your family physician is also an ear, nose, mouth specialist (otolaryngologist), then your dentist may be the better bet to start with because they can rule out any non-cancerous mouth problems more readily and then treat them to relieve your discomfort.

In addition to a mouth exam (including your lips, cheeks, tongue, gums, tonsils and throat) your neck, ears, and nose should also be looked at to determine the cause of your problem.

Your doctor or dentist will also ask you about risky behaviors (tobacco smoking and alcohol use) and your family history, as some cancers have a genetic link.

Be aware that people over 40 years of age, especially if they are male and of African American descent, are considered at higher risk for oral cancers.



Ask your doctor about special dyes for your mouth. Along with an exam of your mouth and throat, some dentists or doctors may use special oral dyes to better visualize abnormal areas in your mouth, especially if you are considered at higher risk for oral cancer. For example, one method uses a dye called toluidine blue.

Putting toluidine blue dye over a cancerous area in your mouth will make the diseased tissue stain a darker blue than surrounding healthy tissue.

Sometimes infected or injured tissue also stains dark blue, so it's not a definitive test for cancer, just a visual guide.

To be sure of cancer, a tissue sample (biopsy) needs to be taken and looked at under a microscope by a cancer specialist. This way you can get an accurate diagnosis.



Ask your doctor about using laser light instead. Another method of trying to distinguish healthy tissue from cancerous tissue in the mouth is by using special lasers. In general, when laser light is reflected off abnormal tissue, it looks different (duller) from light reflected off normal tissue.  Another method uses a special fluorescent light to view the mouth after it's been rinsed with an acetic acid solution (vinegar, basically). Again the cancerous tissue stands out.

If an abnormal area of the mouth is suspected, a tissue biopsy is usually performed.

Alternatively, sometimes the abnormal tissue can be evaluated by exfoliative cytology, where the suspected lesion is scraped with a stiff brush and the cells looked at microscopically.





Tips.

Avoiding alcohol and tobacco use reduces your risk of developing oral cancers.

Regular dental screenings are important for the early detection of oral cancer.

Treatment of oral cancers usually involves chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Sometimes the lesion is surgically removed.

Oral cancers occur more than twice as often in men as in women. African American men are especially susceptible to the disease.

A diet rich in fresh fruits and veggies (especially cruciferous ones, such as broccoli) is associated with a lower incidence of oral and pharyngeal cancer.



Warning.

If you see or feel something unusual or painful in your mouth that doesn't heal within a few days, don't hesitate to make an appointment with your doctor or dentist.