5 Characteristics of Oral Cancer and How to Treat Them
How long does oral cancer take to spread
The characteristics of oral cancer are rarely recognized so that treatment is given too late. In fact, if it is caught early, treating oral cancer has a higher success rate.
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| 5 Characteristics of Oral Cancer and How to Treat Them |
The most common causes of oral cancer are smoking and consuming alcoholic beverages. Apart from that, a person's risk of developing oral cancer will also increase if they experience poor nutrition, are infected with HPV, and are exposed to excessive sunlight.
Oral cancer can occur in all parts of the mouth, including the lips, gums, cheeks, tongue, roof of the mouth and throat. However, this characteristic is often ignored or confused with other health conditions, so that treatment is delayed and treatment results are not optimal.
How to treat oral cancer is adjusted to the severity of the cancer, the location of the cancer, and the patient's general condition.
Characteristics of Oral Cancer
You need to know the characteristics of oral cancer so that the cancer can be detected early and the success rate of treatment is greater. The following are characteristics of oral cancer that need to be recognized:
1. Swelling or lump in the mouth area
Swelling in the mouth area is the most common characteristic of oral cancer. Swelling is an inflammatory reaction that occurs due to excessive growth of cancer cells.
If you experience swelling in the mouth area and it does not improve, consult a doctor further. This way, the doctor can determine the cause of the lump you are experiencing and provide appropriate treatment.
2. Difficulty chewing or swallowing
The growth of cancer cells can press on nerves which triggers pain when chewing or swallowing. Apart from that, swelling due to the growth of cancer cells will also narrow the throat opening, causing sufferers to have difficulty swallowing and feel like food is stuck in the throat.
3. Drastic weight loss
Another characteristic of oral cancer can be drastic weight loss. This condition occurs because the nutrients obtained through food will be absorbed by cancer cells to support their growth.
Apart from that, weight loss can also be caused by pain when chewing or swallowing, making the sufferer have no appetite.
4. Spots in the mouth
The appearance of spots, both white spots (leukoplakia) and red spots (erythoplakia), in the mouth can also be a sign of oral cancer.
This condition is actually not a definite marker of oral cancer. However, spots can develop into oral cancer if not treated properly.
To differentiate ordinary spots from cancer spots, clinical examination is required, such as a biopsy. However, red spots and white spots caused by cancer usually do not improve for a long time, and instead get bigger or worse in a short time.
5. Voice change
Characteristics of oral cancer can also be recognized from changes in the sufferer's voice. This condition is caused by the growth of cancer cells in the larynx area.
The growth of cancer cells in this area can make the voice sound weaker or hoarse for quite a long time. This condition usually occurs together with difficulty pronouncing certain words.
Oral Cancer Treatment
If you experience complaints that resemble the characteristics of oral cancer, and are at risk of developing oral cancer, don't delay seeing a doctor for treatment.
The doctor will carry out an examination by conducting questions and answers to find out your complaints and general health condition. After that, the doctor will perform a physical examination.
If necessary, the doctor will also carry out supporting examinations, such as laryngoscopy, endoscopy and biopsy, to determine the cause of the complaint you are experiencing.
If the complaint you are experiencing is a characteristic of oral cancer, treatment will be given according to the severity and location of the cancer growth. Treatment can be done through surgery or non-operation. The following is the explanation:
Operation
Surgery is a common treatment for early stage oral cancer. This action is carried out to remove the cancer and all surrounding tissue and ensure that cancer cells do not spread to other parts of the body.
The doctor may also perform surgery to remove part or all of the tumor, depending on the severity of the cancer and your general health condition.
Non-operative
Apart from surgery, the doctor will also perform surgery to treat the characteristics of oral cancer. Some non-surgical treatments that doctors will use to treat oral cancer are:
- Chemotherapy, to kill cancer cells in the body
- Radiotherapy, to kill and prevent the spread of cancer cells
- Immunotherapy, to improve the body's immune system to be able to fight cancer cells
Several treatment methods may be used simultaneously or alternately to kill cancer cells. The doctor will adjust it again to the patient's condition and the severity of the oral cancer.
By knowing the characteristics of oral cancer, you can be more aware of this health condition. If you experience the characteristics of oral cancer, don't delay seeing a doctor so that the disease can be confirmed early. The earlier cancer is recognized, the greater the chance of successful treatment.
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