Dental health care
Flossing
Brushing

Oral cancer

What is oral cancer?

Oral cancer is cancer found in the oral cavity (the mouth area) and the oropharynx (the throat area at the back of the mouth).

The oral cavity includes:

• The lips, teeth, and gums

• The lining inside the lips and cheeks

• Under the tongue

• The top of the mouth

The oropharynx includes:

• The back side of the tongue

• The soft palate

• The tonsils

• The throat

Treatment for oral cancer

The treatment for oral cancer has been determined by the physician, based on following factors:

• Your age, health, and medical history

• Period of the disease

• Your course for specific medications, procedures, or therapies

• Expectations for the course of the disease

• Your opinion or preference

Treatment may include:

• Surgery - Different surgery techniques are used to remove specific types of oral tumors, including:

• Primary tumor resection - removal of the entire tumor and surrounding area of tissue.

• Maxillectomy - removal of the tumor, including part or all of the hard palate (roof of the mouth), if bone is involve.

• Mohs' micrographic surgery - removal of the tumor in "slices" to minimize amount of normal tissue removed (may be considered when the cancer involves the lip).

• Laryngectomy - removal of a large tumor of the tongue or oropharynx, which may involve removing the larynx (voice box).

• Neck dissection - if oral cancer has spread to the lymph nodes in the neck, these lymph nodes may need to be removed.

• Radiation therapy - treatment that uses high-energy rays to damage cancer cells and halts the spread of cancer. Radiation therapy may be administered externally with a machine, or internally with radioactive materials.

• Chemotherapy - medications that kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy has the ability to interfere with the cancer cell's replication. Chemotherapy may be used in combination with surgery and radiation therapy.

Medication side effect
Dry mouth