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Oral cancer includes cancer of the tongue, cheek, or gums.
Risk Factors
Amongst those who chew tobacco, mouth problems that may seem minor soon become quite serious. For example, tooth decay may begin from the high sugar contents in some formulations, while enamel surfaces wear down. Gums may pull away from the teeth where the tobacco is commonly placed and tooth loss may also occur. When health hazards become extremely serious, white patches and red sores may be found in the mouth on the gum and/or cheek, or where tobacco contact is most prevalent. These patches, which may become cancerous over time, are called leukoplakia, and are found quite often among chewing tobacco users.
Signs & Symptoms
Some of the symptoms are: sores in mouth that don't go away, red or white patches in mouth, constant bleeding in mouth, numbness in mouth, swelling or lumps in mouth, and - late symptoms - difficulty with swallowing and speech.
Treatment & Prevention
Mouth cancer is very hard to cure, and because it spreads rapidly through the body, it is essential to take precautions immediately.
By quitting tobacco today and receiving treatment for your mouth problems, you may be able to catch the cancer before it is too late.
Regular visits to the dentist can help spot warning signs.
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Signs, symptoms & indicators of Mouth Cancer:
Risk factors for Mouth Cancer: | | | | | Addictions |  Cigarette Smoke Damage | Smoking is a major cause of oral cancer (tongue, cheeks, lips, gums), accounting for 92% of these cancers in men and 61% in women. The increased risk attributed to smoking is of 27-fold in men and 6-fold in women. As with laryngeal cancer, alcohol consumption significantly increases the risk of oral cancer. |
Alcohol-related Problems| | Cancer Research UK warned in August of 2009 that growing numbers of 40-somethings are developing mouth, lip and tongue cancer because they drink too much alcohol. Diagnoses of oral cancer have gone up by 28% among men in their 40s and 24% among women the same age since the mid-1990s. The charity says tobacco does not explain the rise, as it takes up to 30 years to cause cancer. Some 41% of cancers of the mouth could be prevented if no one drank, the World Cancer Research Fund estimated. |
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Lifestyle |
(History of) chewing tobacco use| | Chewing tobacco is known to cause cancer of the mouth. |
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Mouth Cancer suggests the following may be present: | | | | | Addictions |  Cigarette Smoke Damage| | Smoking is a major cause of oral cancer (tongue, cheeks, lips, gums), accounting for 92% of these cancers in men and 61% in women. The increased risk attributed to smoking is of 27-fold in men and 6-fold in women. As with laryngeal cancer, alcohol consumption significantly increases the risk of oral cancer. |
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Tumors, Malignant |
 Cancer, General |
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KEY | | Weak or unproven link | | | Strong or generally accepted link | | | Proven definite or direct link |
GLOSSARY
Cancer
Refers to the various types of malignant neoplasms that contain cells growing out of control and invading adjacent tissues, which may metastasize to distant tissues.
Larynx (Laryngeal, Voice Box)
The short passageway shaped like a triangle that is just below the pharyx in the neck.
Leukoplakia
Thickened, white patch on mucous membrane of the mouth, in some cases precancerous.
Malignant (Cancerous)
Dangerous. Mainly used to describe a cancerous growth -- when used this way, it means the growth is cancerous and predisposed to spreading.
Last updated: Nov 14, 2009
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