Can oral cancer be cured?

Written by Cui Fang Bo
Oncology
Updated on November 07, 2024
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Once oral cancer is diagnosed, it is confirmed as malignant, and only a certain proportion of patients with early-stage disease can be cured. After the diagnosis of oral cancer, surgery is the preferred treatment option. It involves the removal of the clearly defined tumor within the mouth, and if necessary, dissection of the lymph nodes in the neck. After radical resection, adjunctive radiotherapy and chemotherapy are commonly used to improve disease control. Some early-stage patients can be cured after undergoing the above treatments. However, when oral cancer progresses to a certain extent, even after radical surgery and postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy, the risk of recurrence and metastasis remains high, making it incurable.

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Written by Sun Ming Yue
Medical Oncology
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Oral cancer is prone to metastasize to locations

If you have oral cancer, the most likely place for it to spread is the throat. The mouth is connected to the throat, and cancer cells in the mouth grow very quickly. These cancer cells also have a high tendency to spread. If left unchecked over time, there is a possibility that they will spread throughout the body. Moreover, since the mouth and throat are so close to each other, the throat is the most likely first place to be affected. If a patient discovers they have oral cancer, they should seek treatment as soon as possible to prevent the condition from spreading.

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Written by Wang Ji Zhong
Internal Medicine
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Do people with oral cancer experience weight loss?

Oral cancer is a serious threat to human life among oral diseases, and its early symptoms are not particularly obvious, so it is necessary to remind people to pay attention. In addition to some local ulcers, patients with oral cancer have neoplastic cancer tissue growing at the ulcer base. The cancer tissue will develop and damage the masseter and chewing muscles, and it will also cause dysphagia and speech disorders, as well as lead to lymph node metastasis. As cancer cells grow and develop rapidly, they consume a large amount of the body's energy, so patients with oral cancer will experience significant weight loss in the later stages. At this time, in addition to cancer treatment, supportive symptomatic treatment is also needed to enhance the body's resistance.

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Written by Wang Ji Zhong
Internal Medicine
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Oral cancer is caused by what?

Oral cancer poses a significant threat to human life, and it is important to pay attention to early oral diseases to achieve the goal of early detection and treatment. There are many causes of oral cancer, mainly including the following points: The first is the patient's poor dietary habits, such as long-term alcohol abuse and smoking. Eating hard foods frequently can also cause chronic inflammation. Moreover, neglecting oral hygiene and not having the habit of brushing teeth morning and night can lead to the growth of bacteria and fungi, causing inflammation in the mouth, which can induce oral cancer. Another cause is prolonged irritation of the oral mucosa by inflamed gums, the roots of teeth, and unsuitable dentures, which can produce chronic ulcers and carcinogenesis. A deficiency in vitamin A is also somewhat related to the development of oral cancer.

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Written by Sun Ming Yue
Medical Oncology
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Can oral cancer be detected by a CT scan?

Oral cancer cannot be detected through a CT scan. Oral CT, also known as cone beam CT (CBCT), is referred to by dentists as CBCT. This type of scan is more effective for assessing hard tissues. If one wants to examine soft tissues, the results are not as good. CT scans are only effective for observing the teeth and jawbone within the mouth, and can only identify the presence of a tumor, but cannot differentiate between benign and malignant tumors. Therefore, oral cancer cannot be detected using this method.

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Written by Sun Ming Yue
Medical Oncology
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How should cervical lymph node metastasis of oral cancer be treated?

Patients with lymph nodes, if they experience short-term lymph node enlargement. It could potentially be a symptom of metastatic cancer of the lymph nodes, typically manifested in cancers of the nose, pharynx, lung, and esophagus. If the condition is severe, it may cause pain. If the disease spreads to the ear, a comprehensive examination of the patient is still necessary to find the root of the disease. Once the patient's disease begins to metastasize, it indicates that the cancer has reached an advanced stage, and it is recommended that the patient undergo comprehensive treatment with radiotherapy and chemotherapy. If it is non-small cell lung cancer, targeted drug therapy is recommended, but it is generally advised to perform a targeted drug test in advance. If the mutation allows, it is permissible to take the medication; if there is no mutation, it is better not to use it.