About Oral and Mouth Cancer

Mouth cancer, sometimes known as oral or oral cavity cancer, refers to types of cancer affecting any part of the mouth, including:

• Lips
• Gums
• Inner cheek
• Tongue
• Roof or floor of the mouth

Mouth cancers are often grouped into a larger category of head and neck cancers and are diagnosed and treated similarly.

Mouth cancers are frequently identified by where they occur in the oral cavity and the specific cells that they affect. Over 90 percent of oral cancers are diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma. Squamous cells are what line the mouth and throat, but mutations can cause these cells to grow abnormally. Verrucous carcinomas comprise around five percent of all tumors in the oral cavity. This is a slow-growing form of cancer mainly comprising squamous cells.

Lip cancer is the most prevalent kind of mouth cancer and mainly affects males. It comes in two forms: basal cell and oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Causes and Risk Factors

As with other cancers, mouth or oral cancer may have a genetic component that contributes to the mutation of cells that results in abnormal tumor growths. Mouth and oral cancers are twice as common in men with most diagnoses occurring after the age of 55, though younger people can still get mouth cancer. Exposure to ultraviolet light is particularly significant in lip cancers.

Tobacco use poses the largest risk of mouth cancers. Around 80 percent of cancer patients with mouth cancer are known to use some form of tobacco (cigarettes, chewing tobacco, snuff). This risk may depend on the frequency and duration of tobacco use.

Heavy drinking is also a significant risk factor with about 70 percent of diagnoses associated with excessive alcohol use. Those who smoke and drink heavily are around 100 percent more likely to develop mouth cancer.

Early Detection and Diagnosis

The most common signs and symptoms of mouth cancer include:

• Mouth sores and lip sores that do not heal
• White or reddish patches in the mouth, gums, or tongue
• Persistent mouth pain
• Difficulty chewing or swallowing
• Tightness in the jaw or difficulty moving the tongue
• The tongue or other areas of the mouth feel numb
• Loose teeth
• Persistent halitosis

Diagnosis usually involves biopsies and imaging tests. The doctor may perform a barium swallow test to identify irregularities or further symptoms in the mouth, larynx, pharynx, and surrounding areas. You may also need to undergo an endoscopy to determine if the cancer cells spread beyond your mouth and into your throat, which would then require throat cancer treatment.

Stages of Oral and Mouth Cancer

Staging allows your health care provider to evaluate appropriate oral cancer treatment options. Stages range from 0 to 4 to describe the severity of the cancerous cells, and most providers also use the TNM system.

• T designates primary tumor formation.
• N identifies cancers that have spread to the lymph nodes.
• M refers to mouth cancers that have metastasized to other parts of the body.

Oral and mouth cancer progresses through several stages. Here are some of the characteristics of each stage:

• Stage 0 – Precancerous Lesions: Early signs of potential cancer, like persistent mouth sores or patches.
• Stage 1 – Early Stage Oral Cancer: Limited to surface layers.
• Stage 2 – Localized Spread: Slight spread into nearby tissues and potential for dry mouth.
• Stage 3 – Regional Spread: Cancer involves lymph nodes.
• Stage 4 – Advanced Mouth Cancer: Extensive spread and lower survival rates.

After treatment, mouth cancer survivors may face challenges like speech and eating difficulties. However, there is hope for innovation and managing issues like dry mouth.

About Alternative/Natural Treatment of Mouth Cancer

A mouth or oral cancer treatment plan may involve surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. While these traditional treatments may be effective, they come with side effects that can damage healthy cells and leave you and your immune system weak. Alternative treatments offer natural remedies for combating the cancer cell and managing the side effects of more traditional treatments. Immunity Therapy Center offers cancer care with a range of alternative treatments, including:

• Vitamin and mineral supplements
• Hyperthermia
• Sonodynamic therapy
• Biomagnetic therapy

Immunity Therapy Center is dedicated to providing mouth and tongue cancer treatment, as well as all-natural remedies and treatment options for any oral cancer. Headquartered in Tijuana, Mexico, the Immunity Therapy Center health care team works directly with you to develop a custom-tailored treatment plan that suits your personal health. One-on-one consultations and treatment decisions with Dr. Bautista ensure that you are treated like a human, not another chart or customer. To learn more or to get a free consultation, please contact us today.

Medically Reviewed by:Dr. Bautista

November 21, 2019

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Dr. Carlos Bautista is a Board Certified Medical Doctor. He received his Medical Degree from Universidad Autónoma de Baja California and has more than 20 years of experience working with Alternative Medicine to treat cancer, autoimmune diseases, chronic degenerative diseases, and infectious diseases. He opened Immunity Therapy Center in 2007 with the goal of providing the highest quality medical care for more than 5,000 patients.

At Immunity Therapy Center, our goal is to provide objective, updated, and research-based information on all health-related topics. This article is based on scientific research and/or other scientific articles. All information has been fact-checked and reviewed by Dr. Carlos Bautista, a Board Certified Medical Doctor at Immunity Therapy Center. All information published on the site must undergo an extensive review process to ensure accuracy. This article contains trusted sources with all references hyperlinked for the reader's visibility.