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What is it?
- Oral and oropharyngeal
cancer include cancer of the lip, tongue, floor of the mouth, palate, gingiva
and alveolar mucosa, buccal mucosa, and oropharynx. Oral and oropharyngeal
cancer is the sixth most common cancer among white males and the fourth
most common among black males. Males are approximately twice as likely
as females to be diagnosed with and to die from oral and oropharyngeal
cancer. Males have traditionally had higher incidence rates than females
in New Jersey and throughout the US, although in recent years, the gap has narrowed due at least in part, to the
increasing number of women who began smoking over the past three decades
- More than
90% of oral cancers are squamous cell carcinoma, arising in the lining tissue of the mouth and throat. About 5% are salivary
gland malignancies, and smaller percentages are melanomas, sarcomas, and
lymphomas. The primary focus of a cancer control program for oral and oropharyngeal
cancers must, therefore, be on squamous cell carcinoma, the predominant
type.
What
puts me at risk?
The known risk factors for oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma are long-term tobacco use, heavy alcohol use, infection with HPV, use of betel (areca) quid popular in Asian population, immunosuppression, and in the case of lip cancer, long-term sun exposure.
Preventing
Cancer
Other
steps you can take to help prevent oral cancer or to prevent
its progression include:
- See your dentist twice a year for a check-up, especially if you are at high risk for oral cancer. .
- Ask your dentist for an oral cancer screening and make sure that every visible part of your mouth and throat is examined and that the dentist checks the lymph nodes in your neck.
- Limit your exposure to the sun. Ultraviolet light damages the skin on your lips and increases your risk of cancer. When you are out in the sun, use sun protective lip balm and a wide-brimmed hat to protect your face, including your lips.
- Some studies suggest that a balanced diet rich in fruit and green, leafy vegetables may have a protective effect.
For more information on preventing cancer, log onto:
MayoClinic.com
Screening
for Early Detection
Treatment
Options
- Surgery -The type of surgery you may need depends on the size and location of the tumor. For tumors that have invaded nearby tissues, surgery is more extensive. Sometimes surgeons need to remove bone from the jaw or roof of the mouth. To treat a cancer of your tongue or the upper part of your throat, your surgeon may need to remove tissues that you use to swallow and in some cases your voice box (larynx). If the cancer has spread beyond your mouth, your surgeon also may need to remove lymph nodes in your neck.
- Radiation therapy- Radiation therapy uses X-rays to kill cancer cells. This approach also may be used along with surgery to destroy small amounts of cancer cells that couldn't be removed during surgery. These treatments also affect the normal tissues near the tumor and may result in dry mouth, loss of teeth, skin changes and loss of hair follicles. The side effects of radiation and other cancer treatments must be discussed in detail with your physician and with the dentist who will care for you after the treatment is done.
- Chemotherapy- With chemotherapy, drugs are used to destroy cancer cells. You take these drugs either through your veins (intravenously) or orally. The type of drugs and the length of treatment depend on the size, type, and location of the tumor. Chemotherapy may also be used before surgery in order to shrink a tumor. Or, in the case of a large and invasive tumor, chemotherapy may be used in combination with radiation therapy and in place of surgery.
- Reconstructive surgery- The goal of reconstructive surgery is to improve your appearance and to help you adjust to difficulties you may have chewing, swallowing, speaking or breathing. Sometimes you will need grafts of skin or other tissue from other parts of your body to rebuild areas in your mouth, throat or jaw. If you have had extensive surgery in your neck, you may also undergo surgery to create a hole in your neck (tracheostomy) to help you breathe more easily. If muscles you need for swallowing have been removed, you'll need surgery to create a hole in your abdomen (gastrostomy) in order to receive food directly into your stomach through a feeding tube.
- Rehabilitation- Adjusting to life after your surgery may mean working with a speech therapist and dietitian. A speech therapist can help you overcome problems with speech and eating. If you have lost the ability to speak, you can learn to speak by forcing air up through your esophagus (esophageal speech). Artificial devices also are available to help you speak or speak more loudly. A dietitian can help you choose foods that are suitable for you if you've lost some of your ability to chew and swallow. In addition, you may benefit from sessions with a physical therapist and occupational therapist to help you make adjustments in your personal and work routines.
For more information about treatment options, log onto:
MayoClinic.com
For information on finding a doctor or treatment facility, log onto: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Therapy/doctor-facility
Clinical Trials
- Clinical trials are research studies in which people help doctors find ways to improve health and cancer care. Each study tries to answer scientific questions and to find better ways to prevent, diagnose, or treat cancer.
- A clinical trial is one of the final stages of a long and careful cancer research process. Studies are done with cancer patients to find out whether promising approaches to cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment are safe and effective.
- Different types of clinical trials include:
- Treatment trials
- Prevention trials
- Screening trials
- Quality of life trials
For more information on clinical trials, log onto:
Coping
with Cancer
Palliative Care -
Comprehensive
Cancer Control Plan
-
Palliative care is a coordinated, inter-disciplinary
approach to healthcare that enhances the quality of life
of patients with cancer and other illnesses. It targets
the physical and psychological symptoms and spiritual
needs of patients from the time of diagnosis to end-of-life
care in all settings.
For more information on Palliative Care , log onto:
The World Oncology Network
StopPain.org
New Jersey Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
Children Coping with Parents
with Oral & Oropharyngeal Cancer
- Learn
more about all different types of cancers.
- Questions
that children might have dealing with cancer.
- Books
to help children understand more about certain cancers.
- Stories
from other children.
- Camps
and foundations.
For more information, log onto:
CancerSourceKids
Statistics
Comprehensive
Cancer Control Plan
National Center for Health Statistics NCHS- Fact Sheets
New Jersey State Cancer
Registry
More Information
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