Mouth cancer is a type of malignant tumor that can appear in any structure of the mouth, such as the lips, tongue, inner part of the cheeks, roof of the mouth, gums or throat, causing symptoms such as the appearance of wounds or mouth ulcers that take time to heal, Lumps in the mouth or lumps on the neck that don’t go away.
Mouth cancer is more common after the age of 50, but it can appear at any age, being more common in smokers or people who maintain poor oral hygiene.
It is important to consult a general practitioner or dentist whenever symptoms of mouth cancer appear, so that a complete assessment can be carried out and, if necessary, treatment can be started quickly, as the chances of curing this type of cancer are greater the sooner treatment is started.
Symptoms of mouth cancer
The main symptoms of mouth cancer are:
- Wounds that do not heal;
- Lumps inside the mouth or lips;
- Mouth pain;
- Difficulties swallowing;
- Weight loss for no apparent reason;
- Bleeding or numbness in the mouth;
In addition, a person with mouth cancer may also have a white or red spot on the tongue, lips, throat or cheek, white or red gums, difficulty or pain when speaking or a hoarse voice, lumps or lumps in the neck, loose teeth or painful gums. .
The symptoms of mouth cancer generally appear progressively and silently, which can lead to the disease being diagnosed in more advanced stages.
How to confirm the diagnosis
Confirmation of the diagnosis is made by the general practitioner or dentist, through the evaluation of lesions in the mouth, in addition to the health history and other symptoms presented by the person.
To confirm your risk of mouth cancer, make an appointment with the specialist closest to you:
To confirm the diagnosis, the doctor also requests a biopsy, which is an examination carried out from a sample of the tissue that will be analyzed, to identify whether there are cancer cells.
If tumor cells are identified, the doctor may also order a computed tomography scan to assess the degree of development of the disease and identify whether there are other affected areas, in addition to the mouth. Find out about other tests that detect cancer.
Possible causes
Mouth cancer is caused by mutations in cells in any part of the structure of the mouth that begin to multiply uncontrollably.
Some factors that increase the risk of mouth cancer are:
- Smoking tobacco, electronic cigarettes or snuff;
- Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages;
- Chewing tobacco and areca nut, or betel nut;
- HPV virus infection;
- Leucoplasia;
- Use of mouthwashes with alcohol;
- Poor oral hygiene;
- Family and/or previous history of mouth cancer.
Furthermore, a diet low in fruits and vegetables, as well as prolonged exposure to the sun, can also promote the appearance of mouth cancer.
How the treatment is carried out
Mouth cancer treatment must be guided by an oncologist and can be done through surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy or immunotherapy, depending on the location of the tumor, the severity of the disease and whether the cancer has already spread to other parts of the body.
1. Surgery
Mouth cancer surgery aims to remove the tumor so that it does not increase in size or spread to other organs. Surgical procedures to remove cancer, depending on the location of the tumor, are:
- Glossectomia: consists of removing part or all of the tongue, when cancer is present in this organ;
- Mandibulectomia: is done by removing all or part of the chin bone, carried out when the tumor develops in the jaw bone;
- Maxilectomia: when cancer develops in the roof of the mouth, it is necessary to remove the jaw bone;
- Laringectomia: consists of removing the larynx when the cancer is located in this organ or has spread there.
After surgery, it is generally necessary to reconstruct the affected area to maintain its functions and aesthetics, using muscles or bones from other parts of the body. Recovery from surgery varies from person to person, but can last up to 1 year.
Although rare, some side effects of mouth cancer surgery include difficulty speaking, swallowing or breathing and cosmetic changes to the face.
2. Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy can be done before surgery, to reduce the size of the tumor, or after surgery, to eliminate any remaining cancer cells. Chemotherapy can also be done when there are metastases, which is when the cancer has spread to other regions of the body.
This type of treatment can be done by taking pills at home, or with medicines placed directly into a vein in the hospital, such as cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil, carboplatin or docetaxel, for example.
Chemotherapy aims to eliminate all cells that are growing very quickly and, therefore, in addition to cancer cells, they can also affect healthy cells in the body that multiply quickly, leading to the appearance of side effects of chemotherapy, such as loss of hair, anemia or increased risk of infections, for example. Learn how to alleviate the side effects of chemotherapy.
3. Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy for mouth cancer is similar to chemotherapy, but uses radiation to destroy or slow the growth of all cells in the mouth, and can be applied alone or combined with chemotherapy or targeted therapy.
Radiotherapy for mouth and oropharyngeal cancer is normally applied externally, through a machine that emits radiation into the mouth, and should be performed 5 times a week for a few weeks or months, as advised by the oncologist.
By attacking several cells in the mouth, this treatment can cause burns to the skin where the radiation is applied, hoarseness, loss of taste, redness and irritation of the throat or the appearance of wounds in the mouth, for example.
4. Target therapy
Targeted therapy uses drugs to help the immune system specifically identify and attack cancer cells, having little effect on the body’s normal cells.
One drug used in targeted therapy is cetuximab, which stops the growth of cancer cells and prevents them from spreading throughout the body. This medicine can be combined with radiotherapy or chemotherapy to increase the chance of a cure.
Some side effects of targeted therapy for mouth cancer may be allergic reactions, difficulty breathing, increased blood pressure, acne, fever or diarrhea, for example.
5. Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is also a type of treatment that is carried out in the hospital with medicines applied directly into the vein, such as pembrolizumab or nivolumab, which help to increase the immune system’s response against cancer cells, which can lead to a decrease in the size of the cancer or delay its growth.
Immunotherapeutic drugs can be used together with chemotherapy, or used alone, in cases of mouth cancer that have been previously treated but have returned, or even used in more advanced stages or with metastases.
How to prevent mouth cancer
Some suggestions that can help prevent mouth cancer are:
- Brush your teeth at least twice a daywith a toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste;
- Maintain a healthy diet, prioritizing fruits, vegetables and cereals, and avoiding ultra-processed foods;
- Use a condom in all sexual relationseven during oral sex, to avoid contamination with HPV;
- Do not smoke and avoid exposure to cigarette smoke;
- Avoid consuming alcoholic beverages excessively or constantly;
- Use lipstick or lip balm with sun protection factorespecially if you work in the sun.
Furthermore, it is also important to consult your dentist regularly to assess the health of your gums and teeth, and if necessary, treat any changes in your mouth early.
