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.

Other Voices

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Written by Liu Ping
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Can oral cancer ulceration with pus infect others?

Oral cancer ulceration and pus discharge indicate that the tumor cells and cancer cells are locally invasive and infiltrative, which is quite severe. Since the mouth communicates and comes into contact with the external environment, bacterial infection is inevitable. Thus, ulceration often coincides with bacterial infection, leading to inflammation and pus discharge, which can infect others. In terms of infection, bacteria can definitely be transmitted through direct contact and bodily fluid contact. However, it is generally believed that tumor cells are not transmitted to others via direct contact or bodily fluids, considering that a normal person has a functioning immune system capable of recognizing and destroying a small number of tumor cells. Additionally, the likelihood of tumor cells from one person being transmitted to another through bodily fluids is considered very low.

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Written by Yan Chun
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What should I do about oral cancer causing facial perforation?

Patients with oral cancer presenting with facial perforation symptoms can be treated with the following clinical methods: First, local dressing changes should be performed on the perforated facial tissue. Topically applied antibiotics can be used to prevent and treat infections caused by the perforation. Additionally, topical anesthetics can be applied to alleviate pain. Second, as facial perforations are often due to cancerous tissue damage, considering the application of topical chemotherapy drugs can promote the shrinkage of cancerous lesions at the perforation site, which is beneficial for the growth of normal tissues.

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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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Will oral cancer cause facial swelling?

If one develops oral cancer, various swelling phenomena can occur in the tissues inside the mouth. Due to the swelling, it naturally causes the face to become swollen as well, directly affecting the condition of facial swelling during this process. As the degree of oral cancer varies from patient to patient, the severity of various swelling and pain phenomena in the oral tissues also differs, resulting in different facial conditions for each patient. If oral cancer is contracted and not treated and controlled in a timely manner, it can easily lead to swelling and pain in the oral tissues, ultimately causing facial deformity. From the above, it is evident that oral cancer can cause various swelling phenomena in the oral tissues, and due to the swelling and pain, it eventually leads to facial swelling, having a significant impact on the patient's appearance.

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Written by Cui Fang Bo
Oncology
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Does oral cancer cause an increase in carcinoembryonic antigen?

When oral cancer occurs, there is a possibility that carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels may be elevated. Among the current mainstream tumor markers, CEA is the most broadly applicable. Elevated levels of CEA can occur in a variety of tumors. However, an increase in CEA does not necessarily mean that oral cancer is present. Due to the relatively superficial location of the oral cavity, specific physical examinations of the mouth, or direct visualization of the inside of the mouth using auxiliary instruments, can be used to detect lesions associated with oral cancer. Once oral cancer is diagnosed, the primary treatments are surgery and radiotherapy. After surgery and radiotherapy, adjunctive chemotherapy can be used to improve treatment efficacy.