FAQs:
Do all betel nut or tobacco chewers get oral cancer?
Betel nut and tobacco chewers are definitely more prone
to oral cancer than those who do not have this habit, but
there are also other factors such as genetics, diet, environment
and the person’s immune system.
Will stopping the habit improve the condition?
There are certain lesions seen frequently in the mouth of
betel nut and tobacco chewers. These lesions precede oral
cancer. If these preceding lesions are identified in time,
then stopping the habit will definitely improve the lesion
or maybe even cure it.
Is pain an early sign of Cancer?
Not always. Pain is usually a late symptom of cancer. People often
think that persistent pain such as headache or constant
pain in the region of the face means cancer, but this is
rarely the case. However pain should not be ignored.
What are the side effects of treatment?
There are side effects to all forms of treatments involving
oral cancer.
Surgery
If the lesion is small then there are usually no side effects,
but if the lesion is large the it may require the removal
of the affected structure resulting in the speech defects difficulty in
swallowing and also facial deformities. These conditions can
rehabilitated by speech therapy and by physiotherapy.
Radiation therapy
During and after radiation therapy the patient develops
mouth sores. The patient also suffers from reduced secretion
of saliva, which causes difficulty in swallowing and makes
the patient more prone to teeth decay and other forms of
infection.
Chemotherapy
Side effects depend on the kind of drug used. The usual
side effects are loss of hair, ulcers in the mouth and in
the stomach, reduced resistance to infection, loss of appetite,
nausea, vomiting, and lack of energy.
GLOSSARY CT SCAN
It is an advanced diagnostic technique using x-rays
to three dimensionally identify the site and extent of a
lesion. MRI: It is more advanced technique, which uses magnetic
force to diagnose both bony and soft tissue lesions.
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