The effects of later-stage oral cancer treatments, by contrast, can be devastating. Some patients require full or partial removal of the tongue, teeth, gums or oral tissues.Among the risk factors of oral cancer are tobacco use, moderate or heavy alcohol use, a diet low in fruits and vegetables, lack of access to early screening and dental care, and poor oral hygiene.
Cigarettes and smokeless tobacco, sometimes combined with heavy drinking, are the primary causes of oral cancers in Americans. Other causes include poor oral hygiene, long-term irritation of oral structures or prolonged exposure to sunlight on the lips. Vitamins, particularly Vitamins A and E, may play a role in preventing oral cancer.
"Bottom line, we want everyone to know that oral cancer is preventable. It's treatable, but it must be caught early," said Ismail, a professor of cariology, restorative sciences and endodontics and a professor of epidemiology at the University of Michigan.
If cancer of the lip or oral cavity is found, more tests will be done to find out if cancer cells have spread to other parts of the body. This process is called staging, and it helps the doctor plan the patient’s treatment.Cancer occurs when normal cells undergo a transformation whereby they grow and multiply without normal controls. Tumors in the mouth and throat include both benign and malignant types. Benign tumors, although they may grow and penetrate below the surface layer of tissue, do not spread by metastasis to other parts of the body.
Far and away the most common oral cancer is squamous cell carcinoma, originating in the tissues that line the mouth and lips.Most oral cancers look very similar under the microscope and are called squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). These are malignant and tend to spread rapidly.Buccal mucosa is the most common site involved in SCC. Ulceration being the most clinical presentation. Any person presenting with mouth ulceration should be evaluated thoroughly.
Cancers of the mouth and throat do not always metastasize, but those that do usually spread first to the lymph nodes of the neck. From there, they may spread to more distant parts of the body.About 27,700 new cases of oral cancer will be diagnosed in the United States in 2003. Approximately 7,200 people will die of these cancers during the same period.
Vitamin C from dietary sources, but not from supplements, is associated with a reduced risk of oral pre-malignant lesions in men, a new study indicates.
Dr. Nancy Nairi Maserejian, of New England Research Institutes, Watertown, Massachusetts, and colleagues examined intake of vitamins C, E, A and carotenoids in 42,340 men enrolled in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study and the occurrence of oral pre-malignant lesions. The men provided information on supplement use and diet every 2 to 4 years.
A total of 207 oral premalignant lesions were diagnosed between 1986 and 2002, the team reports in the International Journal of Cancer.
The risk of developing such a lesion was not significantly linked to total intake of vitamin C, vitamin A, or carotenoids. However, dietary vitamin C was significantly associated with a reduced risk of oral premalignant lesions: those with the highest intake had a 50 percent reduction in risk compared to those with the lowest intake.
The researchers found no clear relationship with beta-carotene, lycopene, or lutein/zeaxanthin. A trend for increased risk of oral pre-malignant lesions was observed with vitamin E, especially among current smokers and with vitamin E supplements. Beta-carotene also increased the risk among current smokers.
"It is possible that the protection that seems to be offered by dietary intake of vitamin C is actually partly due to some other component of vitamin C-rich food," Maserejian said in an interview with Reuters Health.
"Although we do not yet know exactly what component -- or interaction between components -- is most important, a diet that includes vitamin C-rich foods as well as a variety of nutrients is likely to benefit most people," she said.
"Our results also highlight the need to consider possible harmful effects of high doses of vitamin E supplements among smokers," the researcher noted.
Periodic self-examination of your mouth is the best way to detect the early signs of oral and throat cancer. And, when detected early, oral cancer is almost always successfully treated. Unfortunately, many oral and throat cancers are far advanced by the time a doctor is made aware of the situation. This is because oral and throat cancers are usually painless in their early stages or have minor symptoms similar to other health problems, such as a toothache.
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