Oral and throat cancer

/Home/Dental Care and Medical Concerns/Oral Cancer and Dental Health

Oral and throat cancer
Jul 14, 2006
By Mayo Clinic Staff
MayoClinic.com

ARTICLE SECTIONS:

Introduction
Signs and symptoms
Causes
Risk factors
When to seek medical advice
Screening and diagnosis
Treatment
Prevention
Coping skills

Introduction

Recently, you've noticed a pale lump inside your mouth that doesn't seem to be healing. It's not like anything you've seen before. What you may have encountered is an early sign of oral or throat (oropharyngeal) cancer.

The American Cancer Society estimates more than 30,000 new cases of oral and throat cancer occur annually in the United States. Oral cancer includes cancer of your lips, mouth, tongue, gums and salivary glands. Throat cancer involves cancer of the part of your throat just behind your mouth. It's estimated that more than 7,000 Americans die of oral and throat cancers annually.

Periodic self-examination of your mouth is the best way to detect the early signs of oral and throat cancer. And, when detected early, oral cancer is almost always successfully treated. Unfortunately, many oral and throat cancers are far advanced by the time a doctor is made aware of the situation. This is because oral and throat cancers are usually painless in their early stages or have minor symptoms similar to other health problems, such as a toothache.

Complete article is available online.