Oral cancer aka mouth cancer or cancer of the oral cavity are cancerous diseases that start in any part of the mouth. Thirty percent of the cancer cases found in India are oral and throat cancers. Below are the main symptoms of oral cancer:
• Unhealed wounds in the mouth
• Pain in the mouth for an extended period
• Swellings or lumps on the cheeks.
• White or red patches on the gum, tongue, or cheeks (leukoplakia and erythroplakia, respectively).
• Not all white patches necessarily indicate cancer. However, if the patches persist for an extended period, a biopsy should be done to rule out the possibility of cancer.
• It is advisable to ask the doctor to check the inside of the mouth when undergoing dental procedures.
• To detect problems inside the mouth, a more detailed examination is required, such as with an endoscope. It is advisable to consult an ENT specialist for this.
(Courtesy: Arogyam)
