Oral cancer is a type of head and neck cancer that can appear anywhere in the mouth, including the lips, roof or floor of the mouth, gums, tongue, tonsils or the inside of the cheek. Also known as oropharyngeal cancer, it also affects the back of the mouth and throat lining. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), around 53,000 Americans would have received an oral or oropharyngeal cancer diagnosis in 2019. The treatment methods for oral cancer are determined according to the stage at which the condition is diagnosed. Since it is grouped under the head and neck cancer category, the treatments of the disease are very similar to those of head and neck cancer.

More than 49000 cases of oral cancer are diagnosed in people above the age of 40 every year and timely detection is key to surviving it. The symptoms vary from person to person and some of the common signs include mouth sores or pain that doesn’t go away. But there are certain distinct warning signs of oral cancer that include the following symptoms:

• Swelling in the neck
• A strange feeling that something is caught in the throat
• Trouble moving the jaw and tongue
• A lump in the neck
• A difficulty swallowing and chewing
• Mouth ulcers that do not heal
• Weight loss
• A hoarse voice
• Constant bad breath

Smokers and heavy drinkers must undergo routine dental check-ups as tobacco and alcohol increase the risk factor for oral cancer.

Treatment methods for oral cancer

• Surgery
  A doctor may recommend that the cancer-affected area and some tissues surrounding it be surgically removed. Oral cancer surgery involves the removal of part of the tongue, the jawbone or the lymph nodes. In case the face appearance changes post-surgery, the patient may require reconstructive surgery.
• Radiation therapy
  Radiation therapy uses beams of high energy rays or X-rays to kill and damage the DNA of the cancer cells so that they cannot reproduce. The side-effects of this treatment include jaw stiffness, mouth sores, tooth decay, fatigue, skin reactions, and bleeding gums. Radiation therapy takes time to show results for patients who smoke regularly. Depending on the stage of oral cancer, the doctor can recommend either radiation therapy only or combine it with other forms of treatment.
• Chemotherapy
  If cancer is at an advanced stage, doctors may recommend chemotherapy along with radiation therapy. Chemotherapy medications destroy cancer cells, but sometimes, they can also damage healthy tissue in the process. This can lead to side effects that may include fatigue, hair loss, a weakened immune system, nausea, and vomiting.
• Hyperthermia therapy
  It is one of the emerging treatment methods for oral cancer. Under this technique, doctors heat the cancer-affected area above normal temperature to damage and kill cancer cells.

There are no proven ways to prevent mouth cancer. However, one can reduce the risk of contracting the disease if tobacco consumption is limited and alcohol is consumed in moderated amounts. Avoiding excessive sun exposure on the lips and routine dental checks are good oral hygiene that must be followed.