Oral cancer refers to the cancer that develops in the mouth and lips. It falls in the category of a large group of cancers known as head and neck cancers. The cancer usually develops in the squamous cells in the mouth, tongue, and lips. Every year, almost 50,000 cases of oral cancer are reported in the country, and these are mostly seen in people over the age of 40. Like with any other form of cancer, the earlier it is detected, the better the prognosis will be.

There are 2 main oral cancer types – mouth cancer and lip cancer. Mouth cancer affects the mouth including lips, gums, and teeth. Here’s what you should know:

1. Symptoms of mouth cancer
People often mistake the symptoms of mouth cancer for a cold that is persistent and does not go away for a long time or a sore in the mouth. There are several other symptoms that one can take note of. Persistent pain in the jaw or the tongue, thickening in the inside of the mouth and formation of lumps are primary symptoms. Further, one may also observe some white or red patches forming on gums, tongue, tonsils, or the mouth’s lining. One may also experience difficulty in swallowing and chewing or even some difficulty in moving the jaw or tongue.

2. Treatment of mouth cancer
Choosing the best method of treatment depends on the stage of mouth cancer. The different types of treatments are listed below.

• Surgery: Tumor resection is an operation that enables the removal of the entire tumor from the mouth. The surgeon may make a small incision in the neck or jawbone, the location of which depends on the location of the tumor. This is to facilitate easy removal of the tumor. Reconstruction of the part of the mouth may be necessary when a tumor is removed. Free flap or pedicle reconstruction may be performed by the surgeon for this.
• Radiation therapy: It is possible to remove the cancerous tissues, leaving out the healthy tissues with the use of radiation therapy. Thanks to advancements in medicine, the procedure time for radiation has been considerably lowered as compared to before. The two common types of radiation therapy are External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT) and Brachytherapy (internal radiation).
• Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is often used in addition to radiation therapy and involves the use of medicines to destroy cancer cells. This treatment is used in most cancer treatments, including the two main oral cancer types – mouth and lip. Several drugs may be used to attack the cancer, depending on the stage of cancer. However, an increased use of drugs to destroy the cancer may also increase drug resistance in the cells, because of which radiation therapy forms a part of the treatment.
• Targeted drug therapy: These drugs interfere with the formation and growth of the cells at the basic molecular level. This is often administered along with chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
• Immunotherapy: In this case, drugs build a strong immune system in the body to fight the cancerous cells. Immunotherapy is still part of many clinical trials for improved efficacy.