Oral Cancer Awareness Month is April 2023

April month is known as oral cancer awareness month, a yearly observance emphasizing the fact that early detection of oral cancer can reduce morbidity and improve long-term survival. The observance also highlights the significance of including oral cancer screenings in routine dental exams. Oral Cancer is the fifth most common cancer in the context of Nepal. In addition, tobacco and alcohol use have increased in Nepal, leading to higher cancer DALYs.

Why Oral Cancer: Awareness is Important

Several cancers that start in the region of the mouth are known as oral cancer. Oral cancer occurs on the lips, tongue, and floor of the mouth in common but can also affect cheeks, gums, roofs, tonsils, and salivary glands. Oral cancer can spread throughout your mouth and throat to other areas of your head and neck when left untreated. Early screening is therefore necessary. It is important to identify mouth cancer or pre-cancerous lesions in their early stages to increase the likelihood of successful treatment and cure. This involves early detection and removal of cancer or lesions along with awareness in more prone areas and age groups before they become more advanced. Cancer Awareness plays an important role in the reduction of oral cancer cases.

How can we celebrate Oral Cancer Awareness

Recognizing and comprehending the reality of oral cancer, whether in April or any other month, is important. April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month, which is observed by reminding everyone to perform monthly self-check for oral cancer and by raising awareness about oral cancer which is often ignored but is a serious disease. You must see your medical adviser regularly to maintain yourself and your mouth healthy.

Causes

There are various reasons to be infected with oral cancer, one of which HPV human papillomavirus is the main risk factor. Other risk factors include:

• Using tobacco in any form, such as cigarettes, cigars, pipes, chewing tobacco, and snuff
• Engaging in frequent and excessive alcohol consumption
• Exposing your lips to excessive sunlight
• Having a weakened immune system.

According to the oral cancer doctor, these factors show symptoms that cause pre-cancer or lesions such as white spots in the mouth.

Signs

The signs and symptoms of this condition include:

• Sores that appear on your lips or inside your mouth, are easily prone to bleeding and do not heal within two weeks.
• Rough and scaly patches or crusty areas appear on your lips, gums, or inside your mouth.
• Bleeding in areas of your mouth that do not have an obvious cause.
• Unexplained numbness, pain, or tenderness on your face, neck, or inside your mouth.
• Difficulty with basic actions such as chewing, swallowing, speaking, or moving your jaw or tongue.
• Unintentional loss of weight.
• Ear pain.
• Chronic bad breath.

Dr. Prabhat Chandra Thakur says the most common symptom of oral cancer is when the white spots appear in the mouth and don’t go away even after weeks. Yet people are not aware of it which results in more serious conditions of oral cancer.

Early detection is crucial together with oral cancer awareness

A stage describes oral cancer’s location, if cancer has grown, or penetrated the surface of the area where it was found. In My 10 years of experience and while working as ENT in Bharatpur on analysis the case of an initial staged patient was comparatively low in contrast to late staged cases. This could be because of a lack of oral cancer awareness.

People were not aware of or say usually avoid the conditions until and unless they become serious.

Prabhat Chandra Thakur says I have performed more than 5000 major & minor head and neck cancer surgery along with reconstruction. And in this experience, the cases of oral cancer were quite high of those in later stages say 3rd and 4th stages.

Oral Cancer awareness should be spread as it is cured if found and treated at an early stage (when it’s small and has not spread).

According to the National Institutes of Health, more than 75% i.e. 75 out of 100 people survive their cancer for 1 year or more after they are diagnosed. Around 55 out of 100 people (around 55%) survive their cancer for 5 years or more after diagnosis.

Oral Cancer Prevention and Treatment

The observance also highlights the significance of including oral cancer screenings in routine dental exams.

Preventative measures, such as regular dental checkups and reducing tobacco and alcohol use, can help reduce the risk of developing oral cancer. The best method to reduce your risk of developing oral cancer is to stop smoking or using tobacco products. Even after many years of use, quitting tobacco reduces your chance of developing oral cancers significantly.

Treatment for oral cancer may include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. The majority of people with stage I or II oral cavity cancers respond well to surgery and/or radiation therapy. Another possibility is chemoradiation, which combines chemotherapy and radiation. Both surgery and radiation are effective treatments for oral cancers.

Is something abruptly making you feel awful? Don’t put it off. Call us right away to schedule an appointment with the doctor and let us put your mind at ease.

Message from the doctor:  We all need to know as adults about oral health when to see the doctor and how oral cancer awareness is vital for early detection and cure.

Oral Cancer Questions & Answers

What is an interesting fact about oral cancer?

Men develop oral cancer considerably more frequently than women, and the risk rises with age. Alcohol use and tobacco use both significantly increase the risk of oral cancer.

How do you deal with oral cancer?

A full recovery may be feasible with just surgery if the cancer has not advanced past the mouth or the oropharynx, the area of the throat at the rear of the mouth. It may be necessary to combine surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy if the cancer is big or has progressed to your neck.

Can you kiss with oral cancer?

Some people’s partners are concerned that they could contract cancer through kissing. However, cancer cannot be contracted by another person to reassure them. You and your partner are free to kiss and engage in any other form of physical contact that you find acceptable.

What age is oral cancer most common?

The age range from 60 to 74 was the most prevalent. Conclusions In Nepal, the trend of HNCs is on the rise, particularly oral malignancies.

How long does oral cancer last?

Overall, 68% of people with oral cancer survive for 5 years. Diagnosing oral cancer at an early, localized stage significantly increases 5-year survival rates.

Can oral cancer spread to the lips?

Lips, the tip of your tongue, the roof, and the floor of your mouth are all impacted by oral cancer.

Is oral cancer hard to cure?

A full recovery may be feasible with just surgery if the cancer has not advanced past the mouth or the oropharynx, the area of the throat at the rear of the mouth.

What are the 3 ways cancer can spread?

How Cancer Spreads:

extending into or encroaching on surrounding healthy tissue.

passing through the walls of neighboring blood arteries or lymph nodes.

reaching other bodily areas via the circulation and lymphatic system.

What are the main causes of oral cancer?

Oral cancer is most commonly brought on by:

• usage of tobacco (including smokeless tobacco, cigars, cigarettes, and pipes), using alcohol.
• Additional factors include:
• Infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV).
• a lot of lip exposure to the sun.

What happens after oral cancer?

Changes in eating, talking, and looking can all occur following surgery for oral and oropharyngeal cancer.

How successful is mouth cancer surgery?

Five years following surgery, 96 (54%) of the 178 patients were still alive and oral cancer-free. Oral cancer claimed the lives of 44 individuals (24.7%), although other causes claimed the lives of 38 (20.3%). Stage-related overall survival rates following main surgery were: I 84%, II 71%, III 36%, and IV 28%.

Can Stage 4 cancer survive?

Many people with stage 4 cancer can live for years even though the general prognosis may be bad based on cases with prior patients and outdated therapies.

Can Stage 4 cancer be cured?

Even while therapy may increase overall survival and quality of life in stage 4 cancer, it is typically incurable.

How long does oral cancer take to develop?

Years may pass before oral cancer develops. After age 55, most people discover they have it. However, malignancies connected to HPV are developing in more young males. And Gender.

Where is oral cancer most common?

The most common locations for cancer in the oral cavity are:

• Tongue.
• Tonsils.
• Oropharynx.
• Gums.
• The floor of the mouth.