What is oral cancer?
Cancer is defined as the uncontrollable growth of cells that invade and cause damage to surrounding tissue. Oral caner appears as a growth or sore in the mouth that does not go away. Oral cancer, which includes cancers of the lips, tongue, cheeks, floor of the mouth, hard and soft palate, sinuses, and pharynx, can be life threatening if not diagnosed and treated early.
Causes
Mouth cancer occurs when cells on your lips or in your mouth develop changes ( mutations) in their DNA. These mutations allow cancer cells to grow and divide when healthy cells would die. The accumulating mouth cancer cells can form a tumor. With time they may spread to other areas of the mouth and on to other areas of the head and neck or other parts of the body. Mouth cancer most commonly begin in the flat, thin cells that line your lips and the insides of your mouth. Most oral cancers are squamous cell carcinomas.
It is not clear what causes the mutations in squamous cells that lead to mouth cancer. But doctors have identified factors that increase the risk of mouth cancer.
Mouth cancer is a general term that applies to cancer that occur on the lips and throughout the mouth. More-specific terms for these for these types of cancer include:
Exactly what triggers the changes in DNA that lead to mouth cancer and why only a small number of people mouth cancer is still uncertain.
However known risk factors include:
Smoking and alcohol: The two leading causes of mouth cancer are smoking cigarettes or other tobacco products and drinking too much alcohol. Both of these substances are carcinogenic, which means they contain chemicals that can damage the DNA in cells and lead to cancer. The risk of mouth cancer increases significantly in somebody who is both a heavy smoker and heavy drinker. For example, research has shown that if you smoke 40 cigarettes a day, but do not drink alcohol, you are five times more likely to develop mouth cancer than someone who doesn't drink or smoke.
If you don't smoke, but drink an average of 30 pints a week, your risk increases by a factor of five. If you smoke more than 40 cigarettes in a day and you drink an average of 30 pints a week, you are 38 times more likely to develop mouth cancer.
Betel nuts: Betel nuts are mildly addictive seeds taken from the betel palm tree, and are widely used in many southeast Asian ethnic communities such as Sri Lanka and India. They have a stimulant similar to coffee. Betel nuts also have a carcinogenic effect, which can increase the risk of mouth cancer. This risk is made worse as many people enjoy chewing betel nuts along with tobacco. Due to the tradition of using betel nuts, rates of mouth cancer are much higher in ethnic India and Sri Lankan communities than in the population at large.
Sun: Cancer of the lip can be caused by exposure to the sun. Using a lotion or lip balm that a sunscreen can reduce the risk. Wearing a hat with a brim can also block the sun's harmful rays. The risk of cancer of the lip increases if the person also smokes.
Human papilloma virus (HPV): The human papilloma virus (HPV) is the name of a family of viruses that effect the skin and moist membranes that line your body, such as those in your cervix, anus, mouth and throat. You can contract a HPV infection by having sexual contact with a person already infected - you don't have full sex; just close skin-to-skin contact.
Infection with some types of HPV can cause abnormal tissue growth and other changes to the cells, which can lead to the development of cervical cancer. There are evidence that some types of HPV infection could also cause abnormal tissue growth inside the mouth, triggering some cases of mouth cancer.
It is thought HPV infection is the probable cause of mouth cancer in young people who have few or none of the expected risk factors.
Diet: There is evidence that a diet high in red meat, processed food and fried food can increase your risk of developing mouth cancer.
Poor oral hygiene: Poor oral hygiene, such as having tooth decay, gum disease, not brushing your teeth regularly and having ill-fitted dentures (false teeth) can increase your risk of mouth cancer.
Qat: Qat is a green-leafed plant found in Africa and southern Arabia. There is a long tradition in many countries of chewing qat as it has a mild stimulant effect. In England, the use of qat is usually limited to people of Somalian, Ethiopian and Yemeni origin.
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of mouth cancer may include:
Cancer is defined as the uncontrollable growth of cells that invade and cause damage to surrounding tissue. Oral caner appears as a growth or sore in the mouth that does not go away. Oral cancer, which includes cancers of the lips, tongue, cheeks, floor of the mouth, hard and soft palate, sinuses, and pharynx, can be life threatening if not diagnosed and treated early.
Causes
Mouth cancer occurs when cells on your lips or in your mouth develop changes ( mutations) in their DNA. These mutations allow cancer cells to grow and divide when healthy cells would die. The accumulating mouth cancer cells can form a tumor. With time they may spread to other areas of the mouth and on to other areas of the head and neck or other parts of the body. Mouth cancer most commonly begin in the flat, thin cells that line your lips and the insides of your mouth. Most oral cancers are squamous cell carcinomas.
It is not clear what causes the mutations in squamous cells that lead to mouth cancer. But doctors have identified factors that increase the risk of mouth cancer.
Mouth cancer is a general term that applies to cancer that occur on the lips and throughout the mouth. More-specific terms for these for these types of cancer include:
- Cancer that affects in the inside of the cheeks ( buccal mucosa cancer)
- Lip cancer
- Gum cancer
- Roof of mouth cancer
- Salivary gland cancer
- Tongue cancer
- Floor of mouth cancer
Exactly what triggers the changes in DNA that lead to mouth cancer and why only a small number of people mouth cancer is still uncertain.
However known risk factors include:
Smoking and alcohol: The two leading causes of mouth cancer are smoking cigarettes or other tobacco products and drinking too much alcohol. Both of these substances are carcinogenic, which means they contain chemicals that can damage the DNA in cells and lead to cancer. The risk of mouth cancer increases significantly in somebody who is both a heavy smoker and heavy drinker. For example, research has shown that if you smoke 40 cigarettes a day, but do not drink alcohol, you are five times more likely to develop mouth cancer than someone who doesn't drink or smoke.
If you don't smoke, but drink an average of 30 pints a week, your risk increases by a factor of five. If you smoke more than 40 cigarettes in a day and you drink an average of 30 pints a week, you are 38 times more likely to develop mouth cancer.
Betel nuts: Betel nuts are mildly addictive seeds taken from the betel palm tree, and are widely used in many southeast Asian ethnic communities such as Sri Lanka and India. They have a stimulant similar to coffee. Betel nuts also have a carcinogenic effect, which can increase the risk of mouth cancer. This risk is made worse as many people enjoy chewing betel nuts along with tobacco. Due to the tradition of using betel nuts, rates of mouth cancer are much higher in ethnic India and Sri Lankan communities than in the population at large.
Sun: Cancer of the lip can be caused by exposure to the sun. Using a lotion or lip balm that a sunscreen can reduce the risk. Wearing a hat with a brim can also block the sun's harmful rays. The risk of cancer of the lip increases if the person also smokes.
Human papilloma virus (HPV): The human papilloma virus (HPV) is the name of a family of viruses that effect the skin and moist membranes that line your body, such as those in your cervix, anus, mouth and throat. You can contract a HPV infection by having sexual contact with a person already infected - you don't have full sex; just close skin-to-skin contact.
Infection with some types of HPV can cause abnormal tissue growth and other changes to the cells, which can lead to the development of cervical cancer. There are evidence that some types of HPV infection could also cause abnormal tissue growth inside the mouth, triggering some cases of mouth cancer.
It is thought HPV infection is the probable cause of mouth cancer in young people who have few or none of the expected risk factors.
Diet: There is evidence that a diet high in red meat, processed food and fried food can increase your risk of developing mouth cancer.
Poor oral hygiene: Poor oral hygiene, such as having tooth decay, gum disease, not brushing your teeth regularly and having ill-fitted dentures (false teeth) can increase your risk of mouth cancer.
Qat: Qat is a green-leafed plant found in Africa and southern Arabia. There is a long tradition in many countries of chewing qat as it has a mild stimulant effect. In England, the use of qat is usually limited to people of Somalian, Ethiopian and Yemeni origin.
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of mouth cancer may include:
- A sore that does not heal
- A lump or thickening of the skin or lining of your mouth
- Loose teeth
- Poorly fitting dentures
- Tongue pain
- Jaw pain or stiffness
- Difficult or painful chewing
- Difficult or pain swallowing
- Sore throat
- Feeling that something is caught in your throat.
Tobacco and alcohol use. Most cases of oral cancer are linked to cigarette smoking, heavy alcohol use, or the use of both tobacco and alcohol together. Using tobacco plus alcohol poses a much greater risk than using either substance alone.
ReplyDeleteHPV. Infection with the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus (specifically the HPV 16 type) has been linked to a subset of oral cancers.
Age. Risk increases with age. Oral cancer most often occurs in people over the age of 40.
Sun exposure. Cancer of the lip can be caused by sun exposure.
Diet. A diet low in fruits and vegetables may play a role in oral cancer development. To get early detection of oral cancer visit or have regular dental check-ups for prevention.