Few symptoms of oral cancer that you should never ignore

India is the epicentre of oral cancer and the numbers of victims are rising day by day. This cancer is more prevalent among adults. Intake of tobacco and heavy intake of alcohol are the primary causes for oral cancer. Fortunately, this form of cancer is completely preventable, but most people often show a careless attitude in quitting these dangerous habits and thus may become victims of such a menace. In the affected persons, an early detection of oral cancer can greatly help to improve the outcome, but due to ignorance and a lack of knowledge nearly half of the victims do not consult doctors and simply neglect the symptoms until they get worse. Here are some symptoms of oral cancer that you should be wary of so that you can seek help before it reaches a critical stage.

1. Red or white patches in oralcavity (mouth) and/or throat:

A rough and scaly patch in the mouth or the throat that does not heal within two weeks is a primary indication of oral cancer.

2. Formation of lumps:

Formation of small sized lumps inside the oral cavity and thickening of its inner lining may be a sign of oral cancer.

3. Erosions around lips and gums:

In oral cancer, the tissues of the upper surface of the lips and the gums get scraped away, which leads to tissue loss in these parts.

4. Loss of sensation inside the oral cavity:

Numbness, loss of feeling and sensation inside the oral cavity is also one of the key symptoms of oral cancer.

5. Painful sores and patches:

In the initial stage of oral cancerthe sores and the patches usually remain painless. But with advancement of the disease, these sores lead to unbearable pain. The pain often increases if the sores rupture and bleed during the intake of food.

6. Loosening of teeth and bad breath:

This symptom may be likely to develop in some patients. Soreness in the gums may be a responsible factor for teeth loss and foul smell inside the mouth.

7. Problems in speech:

If oral cancer spreads and affects the throat, victimsmay suffer from speech problems. In addition to that, the voice quality may also get changed due to the development of oral cancer.

8. Severe weight loss

This is a common symptom which is noticeable in most form of cancers. In oral cancer, difficulty in swallowing (due to painful sores and immobility of the tongue)may be an important reason for weight loss.

Image source- Getty images

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Giving up the tobacco habit – a cancer survivor’s tale

Oral cancer: Playing with fire

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Reference:

1. Scott S, Mc Gurk M and Grunfeld E. patient delay for potentially malignant oral symptoms. Eur J Oral Sci. 2008, Apr 116(2):141-147.