Oral cancer is caused by what?

Written by Wang Ji Zhong
Internal Medicine
Updated on September 03, 2024
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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 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 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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Is a gum lump oral cancer?

Many oral diseases can present with gum swelling, such as gingivitis, periodontal abscess, and periapical periodontitis, all of which can cause swelling. Therefore, gum swelling is not necessarily indicative of oral cancer. However, the early symptoms of oral cancer are not very clear and typically include persistent oral ulcers that heal slowly, bleeding, pain, and swelling. Particularly in patients over 40 years of age, if such symptoms are present, it is advisable to visit a dental specialist hospital for an examination to treat the primary disease timely and to rule out the possibility of oral cancer.

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Written by Wang Ji Zhong
Internal Medicine
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Can oral cancer be treated?

Oral cancer poses a significant threat to human life, and it is crucial to detect and treat it early for optimal outcomes. Individuals over the age of 40, especially those frequently experiencing oral ulcers, particularly with symptoms of bleeding and pain, or when there is a growth at the base of the ulcer, should immediately seek hospital examination for timely pathological diagnosis. Early detection followed by prompt surgery, and deciding whether further radiotherapy or chemotherapy is needed based on the severity of the condition, can achieve the best treatment results. Therefore, oral cancer is treatable and can be cured if detected early.

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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.