CONTACT
Julie Naughton, Office of Communications, (402) 471-1695 (office); (402) 405-7202 (cell);
julie.naughton@nebraska.gov
Lincoln – According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, close to 54,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral or oropharyngeal cancer this year. It will cause over 9,750 deaths, killing roughly 1 person per hour, 24 hours per day. Of those 54,000 newly diagnosed individuals, only slightly more than half will be alive in 5 years. Mouth Cancer Awareness Week, Nov. 14-20, provides an excellent reminder to take care of that part of your health.
Oral cancer most often occurs in people over the age of 40 and affects more than twice as many men as women. Most oral cancers are related to tobacco use, alcohol use (or both), or infection by the human papilloma virus (HPV). While there are several types of oral cancers, around 90% are squamous cell carcinomas. Up to 90% of all mouth cancers are linked to lifestyle factors.
Risk factors for developing mouth cancer:
- Smoking tobacco (including cigarettes, pipes, and cigars, and using smokeless tobacco) increases your risk of developing mouth cancer by up to ten times. Around two in every three (more than 60 percent) mouth cancers are linked to smoking.
- Heavy drinking increases your risk of mouth cancer. Alcohol is linked to just under a third (30%) of all mouth cancers.
- Smoking and drinking together triples a person's mouth cancer risk.
- Too much ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a known cause of skin cancer. This can occur either from natural sunlight or tanning bed.
- Skin cancer can develop on the lips, as this area is often exposed to UV radiation.
- Secondhand smoke at home or in the workplace also may increase a person's risk of mouth cancer.
The most common locations for cancer in the oral cavity are:
- Tongue
- Tonsils
- Oropharynx (the middle part of the pharynx – throat – behind the mouth)
- Gums
- Floor of the mouth
Signs and symptoms of oral cancer, which is predominantly caused by tobacco usage and/or excessive alcohol usage, may include one or more of the following:
- Any sore or ulceration that does not heal within 14 days
- A red, white, or black discoloration of the soft tissues of the mouth
- Any abnormality that bleeds easily when touched
- A lump or hard spot in the tissue, usually on the border of the tongue
- A sore under a denture, which even after adjustment of the denture, does not heal
- A lump or thickening that develops in the mouth
- A painless, firm, fixated lump felt on the outside of the neck, which has been there for at least two weeks
- A sore throat or a feeling that something is caught in your throat
- Difficulty chewing, swallowing, or speaking
- Difficulty moving your jaw or tongue
- Swelling of your jaw
- Numbness in your tongue or other areas of your mouth
- Ear pain
Because oral cancer can spread quickly, early detection is important. The exam is painless and takes only a few minutes. Many dentists will perform the test during your regular dental check-up. During the exam, your dentist or dental hygienist will check your face, neck, lips, and entire mouth for possible signs of cancer. When oral cancer is detected early, it is treated with surgery or radiation therapy. Oral cancer that is further along when it is diagnosed may require a combination of treatments. The choice of treatment depends on your general health, where in your mouth or throat the cancer began, the size and type of the tumor, and whether the cancer has spread.