Signs and Symptoms:
Oral cancer may initially present without any symptoms.
Patients
are most often identified only after a significant progression of the disease. Discomfort is the
most common symptoms that compels a patient to seek medical care. Patient
may present with any of the following symptom:
· Awareness of a mass present or growing within the Oral
Cavity.
· Difficulty in swallowing.
· Toothache.
· Pain in the ear.
· Limited mouth opening.
· Excessive bleeding which is not seen that commonly.
· A non-healing ulcer in the oral cavity.
· Swelling on the gums interfering with the seating
of the
dentures in the mouth.
Majority of oral cancers involve the tongue, the posterior
region of the oral cavity and the floor of the mouth. The
lips, gums, the under surface of the tongue and the palate
(bones separating the mouth from the floor of the nose) are
less frequently involved.
Warning signs of Oral Cancer:
Certain pre-cancerous lesions occurring in the oral cavity
may indicate the person’s susceptibility to cancer. These
lesions can be in the form of
· White patches in the mucous membrane covering the oral
cavity and along the lateral border of the tongue, which
cannot be removed by rubbing the affected area.
· Red patches seen on the mucous membrane lining the mouth
and the tongue.
· Increase in fibrous content of the mucous membrane lining
the cheek, which presents itself as thick fibrous bands
running along the inner aspect of the cheek.
Commonly seen
in betel nut chewers this condition
results in inability to
open the mouth.