What is oral cancer?
Oral Cancer is a form of cancer localized in the mouth.
Arise
Oral cavity cancer (also called oral cancer) is often caused by overuse of alcohol and tobacco, but other factors may have a (additional) role, such as chronic irritation of a prosthesis, poor oral hygiene and poor nutrition (eg. Too few fruits and vegetables).
Epidemiology
About 1% of all cancers of the type is oral cavity cancer, and over more than 80% of the latter type it is of squamous cell carcinoma. In the Netherlands it every year about 550 people in Flanders to about 300 cases annually.
Oral cancer is traditionally more common in men than in women. The reason for this lies in the fact that men traditionally use more tobacco and alcohol. Since, however, this has been a shift, so does the incidence of oral cancer among women is increasing.
The risk age is situated around middle age, from 50 to 70 years, but also above or below can prevent oral cancer.
Gradient
Often creates a premalignant lesion, an injury that can pass into an invasive (the "depth" in growing) Carcinoma (cancer). Under the precancerous s one including Leukoplakia (a white lesion), erythroplakie (a red injury, not by inflammation) and a mixed form erythroleukoplakie. A premalignant lesion is not always present, the cancer may also occur without premalignant abnormalities.
If oral cavity cancer spread, than doing it directly that if first to lymph nodes near the tumor. Basically sow this tumor is in the first instance to the top lymph node stations of the neck, on the side where the tumor itself is. The cancer cells will spread to the lymph nodes in the neck and also in a later stage to the lungs. Whenever there is one or more metastases in the lungs, is healing no longer possible. Metastases in neck can in principle still be evaluated.
Appearance
Oral cancer has the following different forms:
- If an ulcer (or ulcer)
- As a leuko-or erythroplakie (a white-or red discoloration of the lining, often an early form of oral cavity cancer)
- As a subcutaneous swelling (at the height of the jaws, cheek or neck; in case of the neck will be a metastasis in a lymph node)
- As a exofytisch injury (' bump ' in the mouth)
Oral cancer symptoms
Often the following symptoms:
- Pain: usually starts this type of cancer without pain; If there is pain, will occur in nerve ingrowth
- An ulcer or tumor in the mouth that does not heal
- Swollen lymph nodes could indicate a metastasis
- Difficulty swallowing or swallowing pain: swallowing can be difficult going through mechanical failure or by pain
- White and/or red spots of the oral mucosa that do not disappear are suspect
- Trismus or "jaw clamp '; This occurs only in advanced stages of oral cancer; usually there are other earlier complaints
Prevent
Cancer of the oral cavity occurs mainly in the anterior 2/3 of the tongue and floor of the mouth. To a lesser extent, the mucous membrane (gum) of the jaw edge (alveolar process), the rising section of the mandible (trigone retromolar), the hard palate (hard palate), the buccal mucosa and the inside of the lips affected.
Oral cancer treatment
In principle, a tumor in the oral cavity surgical (through surgery) removed. In almost all cases (and certainly when the tumor measuring more than 2 inches in diameter) is also carried out a halsoperatie, in which a (limited) part of the lymph nodes of the neck on the side, where the tumor is, removed. This is done because about 30% of people with prior to the surgery found no evidence are (using for example ultrasound of the neck) for metastasis to the lymph nodes, there are demonstrated through this operation still metastases.
Based on the microscopic assessment of the removed tumor and neck glands, it shall be decided whether there is still a nabestraling (radiotherapy) should be found.
Chemotherapy in oral cancer is actually only given in specific situations and is an exception to the above "line".