Mouth cancer or oral cancer includes cancer of the tongue, gums, cheeks, palate, tonsils, or back of the throat. Oral cancer is one of the most common types of cancer among men in the country. In women, it is among the 5 most common cancers. Each year, more than 80,000 people are diagnosed with oral cancer and 60% of these patients die prematurely from oral cancer. This is why we need to know the causes and symptoms/signs of oral cancer.
What is the main cause of oral cancer?
The biggest cause of oral cancer is tobacco use. Tobacco is consumed in many ways like smoking cigarette-bidi, chewing paan-tobacco, chewing tobacco-gutkha etc. Other causes also include infection by viruses such as HPV. Sometimes excessive sun exposure also leads to lip cancer. With increasing age, the risk of cancer also increases. Quitting tobacco use can reduce the risk of oral cancer by up to 90 percent.
Recognize these 3 signs of oral cancer
Early symptoms of oral cancer include a variety of signs. Although it is not necessary that cancer is always present when the following signs/symptoms appear, but if they persist, then you should be examined by a qualified physician.
1 Tingling or tightness in the mouth, lips or throat
Sore throat or mouth, itching or a feeling of tightness in the mouth, lips or throat. Sore throat is felt due to many types of infections. This can also occur due to a simple viral infection. But if it persists for a long time, then definitely do the research. Sometimes it can also be an indicator of cancer or a premalignant condition.
2 white or red patches appear
If you see white or red spots inside your mouth, you should get an immediate checkup. The white patches are sometimes called leukoplakia. Cancer can occur in 5 to 10 percent of people with leukoplakia. The red spots can be caused by erythroplakia. Up to 50 percent of people with this may later develop oral cancer.
If detected in the early stages, almost all patients can be treated. A biopsy test may be required if these types of patches are visible. It is important to know that due to biopsy examination of such patches, cancer does not form or spread. However, it definitely helps in the correct diagnosis of the disease and also helps in the treatment as per the requirement.
3 Difficulty swallowing or chewing
If there is difficulty chewing, speaking, swallowing, or moving the gums, then it may be a symptom of oral cancer.
Puffiness on the cheeks and a lump or swelling on the neck can sometimes also be an early symptom of cancer. Often this type of swelling is painless. This is the reason why people often ignore them at first. But because of the tendency to see a specialist as soon as the pain starts, cancer often takes a long time to spread. Sometimes the jaw also moves due to oral cancer.
don’t panic get tested
If any of the above symptoms or signs appear, don’t panic. It is not necessarily due to cancer. And even if cancer is present, most patients can be treated if oral cancer is diagnosed in its early stages. Early detection of oral cancer is its effective treatment. Consult your doctor or dentist or surgeon/cancer specialist to eliminate the possibility of cancer and find out the exact cause of the disease and treat it.
Always remember, together we can beat cancer.
Recognize the symptoms, don’t ignore them, see a doctor if necessary, and most importantly, avoid tobacco use.
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