The carcinoma of the oral cavity represents the 6th tumor in the world due to
death in the male and the 17th in the female: in Italy about 3,000 people die
every year. It can occur in any district of the oral mucosa, but it is localized
more frequently in the tongue, the oral floor and the soft palate. It is
characterized by high mortality, if not cured in time, and by substantial rates
of complete healing if diagnosed in its early stages. However it is a very
aggressive tumor: it may take six months of delay from the appearance of the
first signs to the diagnosis, to compromise the hopes of recovery.
In its initial stages it is possible to have precancerous diplasic lesions, in
the form of white and / or red spots or plaques, small erosions or ulcers inside
the mouth. All these lesions usually do not show symptoms but do not heal with
the common therapies. In the presence of one of these lesions, the specialist
must check whether they are due to traumatic elements, such as chipped teeth or
incongruous prostheses; the removal of the trauma must however allow the healing
of the lesion in 10-15 days, otherwise the diagnostic suspicion of oral cancer
becomes well founded and the patient must undergo biopsy with histological
examination.
They are incidents of the type white or red or white spots that are present
on the mucosa of the mouth for years and on account of a self-examination of the
mouth by a doctor during a visit.
The causes are caused by the same risk factors mentioned above and defined by
the specialists leukoplakia or erythroplakia. They have a chance of cancer, but
always high. A precancerous disease of the mucosa of the mouth is also oral
lichen.
The diagnosis of these problems was taken by a specialist doctor. In fact, the
precancerous, cancerous and innocent lesions that can not be met in a malignant
disease can have clinical effects in many overlapping aspects.
The main causes of diagnostic delay are:
-The tendency to attribute any lesion present in the mouth to the generic label
of "inflammation", a definition that implies characters of benignity
-Persons of dental prosthesis often attribute to the prosthesis all the possible
wounds or ulcers present in the mouth without being criticized if there is
really a cause-effect relationship
-The tendency to underestimate the asymptomatic lesions: if an injury is not
painful it means that it is not serious and can be neglected
-The poor habit of self-examining the mouth
-The habit of self-examining only the most visible structures [all languages and
favorite languages]
-The low tendency to undergo conservation visits in those at greater risk,
alcohol users, people with poor dental care and not adequate prostheses,
carriers of a chronic inflammatory disease of the mouth such as for example.
oral lichen, carriers of precancerous lesions].
The mouth is a region easily explored by doctors [dentists]. It is also common
experience, as experienced with unusual discomfort within the oral cavity. Yet
despite these enormous facilities it is the best way to solve the problem with
health problems. the interval between the first medical examination and the
diagnosis is on average 45 days; it's about 4 or 5 months! This is not only for
the population but also for services that are not employed in the sector.
Voluptuous habits and mainly smoking and alcohol are recognized as main
causes of oral carcinomas, in addition to all other carcinomas of the airway
sector [larynx and lungs in particular]. Smoking increases the risk of mouth
cancer from 5 to 17 times [depending on the extent of exposure] and it is
estimated that 75-90% of oral cancers are related to cigarette smoking. As for
alcohol, the daily consumption of spirits, for example various brandies or
spirits, is a particularly risky habit. The action of these two carcinogens is
even more harmful if both are present. The elimination of smoking and the
reduction of alcohol consumption would reduce the incidence of oral cancer by
around 60-80%. The bad hygiene of the oral cavity acts both directly for the
irritating and traumatizing action of poorly made dentures or chipped teeth, and
indirectly because it leads to prolonged contact of the carcinogens with the
mucosa of the mouth.
Early diagnosis is very easy to implement if the counseling and prevention
measures listed above are put into practice. The suspicious lesions that come to
the specialist's observation are subjected to simple and painless investigations
such as coloring with a vital dye called Toluidina blue [coloring malignant
cells] and biopsies under local anesthesia.
When the diagnosis is established, if the injury is initial, the therapy
consists of a simple surgery, sometimes carried out under local anesthesia and
in the Day Hospital regimen.
Early diagnosis is very important: no lethal disease is easier to heal than a
small oral carcinoma
The food must be rich in fruit and vegetables
Not smoking
Do not drink hard alcohol regularly and do not consume wine outside meals
Above all, do not associate smoking and daily consumption of spirits
Keep a healthy and well-groomed mouth, for this reason regularly consult a
dentist, especially old and / or inadequate dentures must be redone
Self-examine and ask to periodically make the mouth, but WARNING: examine the
whole mouth, above and below the tongue, the side of the tongue, the cheeks, the
palate up to the uvula
If you have in your mouth:
- white and / or red plaques or plates (suspected precancerous lesions)
- the Lichen
- chronic problems that do not tend to heal
Consult a specialist for precise diagnosis
WARNING: when assessing whether to consult a doctor do not take into account
the pain symptom, it may be present or not!
If the specialist diagnoses a precancerous or a chronic lesion he will propose
to remove it: do not refuse!
If you are over 40 years old (especially if you are male) or if you are people
of any sex who smoke and / or consume alcohol or hard liquor every day or do not
have a good mouth: regularly submit to a cable prevention visit every year oral.
You can see also:
Cardiology
Dermatology
Diabetology
Hematology
Gastroenterology
Neurology
Pneumology
Oncology