I have been diagnosed with Oral Cancer

Oral cancer can be defined as cancer anywhere in the mouth. It includes any cancer on the lips, tongue, inside surface of the cheeks, hard palate (the front of the roof of the mouth), or gums. Cancers in the back of the mouth, such as on the soft palate (the back of the roof of […]

Oral cancer can be defined as cancer anywhere in the mouth. It includes any cancer on the lips, tongue, inside surface of the cheeks, hard palate (the front of the roof of the mouth), or gums. Cancers in the back of the mouth, such as on the soft palate (the back of the roof of the mouth) or the back of the throat, are not considered oral cancer. Oral cancer occurs more often in men than in women. The number of new cases of oral cancer has been slowly decreasing over the past two decades.
Symptoms of oral cancer include:
1.    a mouth sore that doesn’t heal
2.    an area in your mouth that becomes discolored and stays that way
3.    a lump or thickening in the cheek that doesn’t go away
4.    a sore throat that doesn’t go away
5.    voice changes
6.    trouble chewing or swallowing
7.    trouble moving your jaw or tongue
8.    loose teeth
9.    numbness in the tongue or another part of  the mouth
10.    pain around  the  teeth or in the  jaw
11.    pain or irritation in the mouth that doesn’t go away
12.    unexplained weight loss
13.    swelling in the  jaw
14.    a lump or mass in  the  neck
15.    the constant feeling that something is caught in  the  throat
Most often these symptoms are caused by other less serious medical problems.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis starts with a physical exam. If your doctor suspects a problem, you may need to see an oral surgeon or an ear, nose and throat surgeon. To test for cancer, the surgeon will do a biopsy, which involves removing a small piece of tissue from the abnormal area. The tissue is then examined under a microscope. After the diagnosis is made, your doctor will determine if the cancer has spread beyond the oral cavity with other tests.
Prevention
The biggest risk factors for oral cancer are smoking and using smokeless tobacco (chewing tobacco). Drinking alcohol is another big risk factor. If one smokes or chews tobacco and drinks alcohol, the risk is even higher.
If one smokes or chews tobacco, they need to get help to stop. If one smokes or chews tobacco now or did so in the past, watch for symptoms. Ask a doctor or dentist to check your mouth at least once a year for abnormal areas, so that cancer can be found early.
Cancer of the lip is linked to too much time in the sun. If one is outside a lot, especially as part of a job, take these steps for protection:
1.    Try to avoid the sun during the midday hours, when its strongest.
2.    Wear a wide-brimmed hat.
Treatment
1.    Treatment depends on where the cancer started and its stage. Surgery, the most common treatment, involves removing the tumor and some healthy tissue around it. In many cases, the surgeon can remove the tumor through the mouth. But sometimes, the surgeon will need to remove the tumor through the neck or jaw.
2.    Radiation therapy is the primary treatment for some small tumors. It uses high-energy x-rays to kill cancer cells. In some cases, patients who have surgery also receive radiation therapy to make sure that all cancer cells are destroyed.
3.    Doctors may prescribe chemotherapy to shrink tumors before surgery. If a tumor is too large to be operated on, chemotherapy and radiation therapy can ease symptoms.