Ağız Kanseri

Cancers of the lips, tongue, gums, and floor of the mouth are the most common types of oral cancer. It rarely includes the inner cheek or palate areas. It may have started in one of the salivary glands or spread to the mouth from areas around the mouth, such as the throat or nose.

As in many types of cancer, early diagnosis is important in order to get the most benefit from the treatment, to prevent the spread of cancer to other parts of the body, and to prevent deformities in the face and speech difficulties.

Oral cancer is twice as common in men than women, according to statistics collected by Cancer Research UK. It is also more likely to occur in people over the age of 40. However, recent research reveals that this disease is becoming more and more common in young patients and women.

Symptoms
Any swelling or stains that have been in the mouth for a long time and do not show any signs of passing should be checked by a doctor (General Surgeon, dentist or healthcare professional). Likewise, any cracks, swelling or ulcers in the mouth or lips that do not heal, even if they do not cause pain, should be examined.

A developing tumor may not be painful, but may spread and form ulcers that may cause bleeding. Tongue cancer is often painful and causes the tongue to be abnormally stiff and stiff. Difficulty speaking or swallowing, and a feeling of numbness.

When persistent white spots (leukoplakia) or red spots (erythroplakia) appear in the mouth, they should be brought to the attention of physicians or dentists, as these spots can be confirmed as precursor cancer conditions (subsequent conditions for cancer development).

Reasons
Oral cancer is mostly related to tobacco use. Stopping smoking and switching to a pipe or cigar or snuff or oral tobacco (antrun) does not reduce the risk. Smaller tar or ‘light’ cigarettes are also useless. It is also very dangerous to keep some tobacco in the mouth for a long time. This condition often causes leukoplakia, which is considered a precursor cancer condition. Other factors that trigger the development of oral cancer include:

– excessive alcohol consumption, especially hard alcoholic beverages,
– Using alcohol and smoking together,
– dentures that do not fit,
– poor maintenance, especially when teeth are jagged or pointed,
– constant irritation of the tongue from any sharp edges in the tooth, and
– Chewing betel (betel) walnut or betel leaf (felfelek) – It is a very common habit among certain cultural groups such as Bangladesh.
The combination of alcohol and cigarette smoke is an important reason, as the intake of cancer-producing substances (carcinogenic substances) in cigarette smoke into the body increases with alcohol.

Diagnostics
Any swelling or tissue change in the mouth that does not disappear within a month should be reported to the doctor. During regular check-ups, dentists can also examine mouth cancers.

Visual examination is usually the first step to take, after which the diseased area is touched, and other unusual signs such as swelling or ulcers or cracks are examined. It may also be helpful to discuss the patient’s oral health history, for example, how long any swelling or ulcer has been present, whether there is pain or bleeding, and whether there is difficulty swallowing or speaking.

A small biopsy can confirm the diagnosis.