Cancer, settled in the mouth: the causes and treatment of tumors

Oral cancer is a very dangerous disease in which malignant neoplasms form on the mucous membrane. Pathology more often affects men, and the age of patients usually exceeds 40 years.

The guile of mouth cancer is that only 50% of patients with this disease live more than 5 years. A rather high mortality rate due to cancer is due to the late treatment of patients for medical care.

Some people simply simply ignore the appearance of the first symptoms of the disease, and when they finally decide to go to the doctor, it is often too late.

Where can a tumor grow in the mouth?

Depending on the location of the tumor, oral cancer can be localized:

1. In the area of ​​the .Usually the middle side and the root of the tongue are affected.
2. The defeat of the oral bottom .The localization of the neoplasm in this part is 25% of all types of tumors in the oral cavity. When tumors of the lower jaw, even at the beginning of its development, about a third of patients are diagnosed with regional metastases.
3. Tumor of the mucosa of the cheek .The histology of this disorder is the type of cancer of the tongue and the bottom of the oral cavity. However, a malignant cheek tumor is much less common than the previous two. At the first admission the doctor can identify regional metastases only in rare cases.
4. Cancer of the mucous palate .Malignant neoplasms of the hard palate most often come from small salivary glands, but occasionally mixed tumors can be observed, the diagnosis of which is difficult even for histologists.
5. Tumor processes in the mucosa of the alveolar edges of the jaws .This squamous cell carcinoma, which manifests itself quite early, as the patient begins to suffer from toothaches. Not understanding the true cause of soreness, dentists often remove the tooth, resulting in cancer cells free penetrate into the dental hole and then hit the bone.
6. Cancer of the posterior surface of the oral cavity of proceeds more sharply, painfully. Cancer cells grow rapidly and metastasize, so this type of tumor is difficult to treat.

Forms of the disease

In medical practice, there are three forms of oral cancer:

1. Ulcerous - a bleeding sore with uneven edges appears in the mouth.
2. Infiltrative - the patient develops intense local soreness. At palpation the doctor reveals a dense, hummocky infiltration, which has no clear boundaries. The mucous membrane above the infiltrate is very thin.
3. Papillary is a small tumor that protrudes from the mucous surface. This form of cancer( in comparison with others) is characterized by slow growth.

Cancer stages

There are four stages of the oncological neoplasm development in the oral cavity:

1. The first is an ulcer or tumor that measures up to 2 cm and does not go beyond the boundaries of its department( sky, tongue, cheek, gum).Metastasis in
   

   In the photo, oral cancer, localized on the

   lip, is not detected by the lymph nodes.

2. The second - in regional lymph nodes diagnosed mobile metastases, otherwise the lesion is similar to the first stage, only the size of the lesion is slightly larger.
3. Third - metastases penetrated into soft tissues, but did not extend beyond the jawbone periosteum. In this stage, the tumor can spread to the neighboring parts of the oral cavity. Numerous mobile metastases are noted in the lymph nodes.
4. The fourth( last) is characterized by the spread of a tumor, ulcer or infiltrate to other parts of the oral cavity and adjacent soft tissues. Metastases affect both bone tissue, their presence is noted in the lymph nodes. The skin of the patient's face becomes ulcerated.

Smoking, alcohol and malnutrition - a trio of assassins

There are different reasons for provoking oral cancer, but people who abuse alcohol are at the top of the risk group. They have a incidence of 6 times higher than people who lead a healthy lifestyle.

There are few alcoholics in this respect behind in this regard, smokers and those patients who are in the habit of chewing tobacco. When smoking a tube in patients, lip cancer most often develops, and chewing tobacco suffer from malignant neoplasms of the cheeks. Unfortunately, passive smokers often pay for the harmful habit of surrounding people.

A provoking factor of oral cancer can be malnutrition. Usually this is a deficit in the diet of fruits and vegetables.

For the same reason, it is impossible to use dentures of poor quality, frequent exposure to ultraviolet rays is also promoted by swelling of the lips.

The main symptoms and manifestations of the disease

The fact that in the early stages of oral cancer many patients do not notice any symptoms of the pathology negatively affects early diagnosis.

More often patients come to the oncologist already in the started stage, than increase the statistics of death rate.

However, signs of mucosal cancer exist:

• the affected area is covered with white or red spots;
• in the mouth there are non-healing sores;
• tongue swells and hurts;
• appeared suddenly the tumor does not pass more than a month;
• marked morbidity in the jaw and weakening of the teeth;
• there is hoarseness of the voice;
• in the neck appears stupid aching pain.

Diagnostic measures

When entering the oncology center for the first time, the patient must undergo a number of diagnostic procedures:

1. Biopsy is a technique that allows detecting the presence of cancer cells in tissues. During the biopsy, the doctor pinches off a small sample of the affected tissue.
2. Throat, lung and bronchial endoscopy .
3. X-ray of the jaw for the presence of metastases.
4. MRI and CT - both these techniques allow to determine the boundaries of the tumor and the stage of pathology.

A comprehensive approach to the therapy of

The method that the physician deems most suitable for the treatment of a malignant tumor of the oral cavity depends on the neglect of the disease.

In each case, the doctor will try to select the technique that is more likely to have a positive effect.

Operative intervention

At the initial stages of cancer development, surgery for excising a tumor with subsequent application of radiotherapy can be quite effective. If there is a large lesion, combined treatment is used.

During the operation, the tumor is removed, and together with it a small area of ​​healthy tissues is captured. To reduce the likelihood of recurrence of cancer, remove and lymph nodes, which often spread metastases.

Complicated situations require partial removal of the bones of the jaw or tongue. Such operations are performed by the maxillofacial surgeon, and the postoperative period requires the patient to be in the intensive care unit.

Sometimes surgeons resort to micrographic surgery. The essence of this method lies in the layer-by-layer excision of tissues and the study of them under a microscope right in the course of the operation.

When the cancer cells cease to be detected in the tissue, the operation ceases. This technique is most often used for lip cancer.

X-ray therapy - how effective?

It is known that cancer cells are destroyed under the influence of X-rays, but at the same time to a small extent suffer and healthy tissue.

X-ray therapy in the early stages of oncology of the oral cavity is used as an independent method. In addition, irradiation with x-ray beams is sometimes prescribed before surgery, which increases the beneficial outcome of the operation.

Chemotherapy application

The chemotherapy that is shown after surgery reduces the likelihood of a relapse of the disease. This is due to the fact that chemical preparations are capable of destroying cancer cells. However, with cancer of the lips, chemotherapy is usually not prescribed.

Drugs are administered by intravenous injection. Such treatment provokes a decrease in the number of leukocytes in the blood, which is fraught with various infections. Therefore, during the chemotherapy, the doctor must constantly monitor the composition of the blood.

Chemotherapy has other negative manifestations:

• nausea and vomiting;
• disorder of stools;
• pain in the mouth;
• excessive fatigue;
• loss of hair( baldness).

Chemoradiation therapy

For minor tumors, the operation can be replaced by a combination of x-rays and chemotherapy. Such treatment less affects the speech and function of swallowing, which can not be said about the operation.

Unfortunately, not always the general health of the patient allows to apply this technique. Contraindications are due to pronounced side effects.

Complications and prognosis

Development of a malignant tumor of the oral cavity is fraught with suppuration of the body of the neoplasm and surrounding tissues, with the germination of large vessels, bleeding and fistula formation are possible. A large tumor can block the airways, which will lead to asphyxia.

Physicians can predict the outcome of the disease, based on its form. The most difficult therapy is ulcerative cancer, but the papillary form gives the highest percentage of complete recovery.

With lip cancer, 90% of patients live 5 years or more. This figure is reduced to 65% for malignant tumors of the posterior parts of the oral cavity.

How to prevent trouble?

As a preventive measure, physicians recommend to their patients:

• to abstain from alcohol abuse and quit smoking;
• protect the face from direct exposure to ultraviolet rays;
• , whenever possible, try to avoid contact with chemical reagents;
• to monitor the condition of the oral cavity and teeth in particular;
• in time to treat chronic diseases of the oral cavity;
• enrich your diet with vitamins and microelements.