How to determine if it is oral cancer?

Written by Fang Xiao
Dentistry
Updated on November 02, 2024
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To determine if it is oral cancer, one can visit the dentistry department of a formal hospital for an oral examination and a local pathological biopsy. If cancer cells are found, it can be diagnosed as oral cancer. Additionally, CT scans and MRI can be performed to determine the location and size of the lesion. The onset of oral cancer generally starts with oral ulcers. If an oral ulcer persists and does not heal for more than two weeks, and the affected area shows cauliflower-like protrusions, hardening at the base, palpable lymph nodes, pain or exacerbation, and it affects eating and speech causing some obstacles or changes, early surgical treatment should be sought after the detection of oral cancer. Immediate radical surgery should be undertaken. If surgery is not possible, treatment through radiation or chemotherapy to reduce the tumor size before proceeding with surgical excision is recommended.

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Can oral cancer HPV be detected through testing?

Oral cancer can generally be detected through HPV testing. For tumors in our head and neck regions, it is currently believed that the HPV positivity rate is relatively higher in tumors occurring in the oropharynx and hypopharynx areas. There are several methods for HPV testing: one is testing the HPV virus itself, and another is testing for the P16 protein. Therefore, detection can be carried out through throat swabs, saliva, and bodily fluids, which can identify the virus and determine which types are high-risk and which are subtypes, and then look at the P16 protein to see if there are pathological tissues, detecting the negativity or positivity of this P16 protein through pathological tissues.

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Where does oral cancer commonly metastasize to?

Oral cancer poses a significant threat to human health, thus early detection and treatment are crucial for effective outcomes. In addition to chronic, non-healing ulcers, early signs of oral cancer include abnormal growths, pain, bleeding, and relatively early metastasis. It can infiltrate nearby muscles involved in chewing and biting, the throat affecting swallowing and speech functions, and also spread to cervical lymph nodes, causing enlargement of these nodes. Therefore, besides the symptoms in the mouth, attention must also be given to adjacent organ tissues, especially the condition of the cervical lymph nodes, to ensure timely diagnosis and treatment for effective results.

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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.

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Can oral cancer be detected with an ultrasound?

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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.