Oral cancer is fairly common. It can be cured if found and treated at an early stage (when it's small and has not spread). A healthcare provider or dentist often finds oral cancer in its early stages because the mouth and lips are easy to examine. Almost all oral cancers are squamous cell carcinomas.
The 5-year survival rate without treatment for people diagnosed with early stage oral cancer was 31.1%. The 5-year survival rate without treatment for people diagnosed with stage 4 oral cancer was 12.6%.
Most oral cancers are a type called squamous cell carcinoma. These cancers tend to spread quickly.
Overall, 68% of people with oral cancer survive for 5 years. Oral cancer survival rates are significantly lower for Black and American Indian/Alaska Native men and women. Diagnosing oral cancer at an early, localized stage significantly increases 5-year survival rates.
If the cancer has not spread beyond the mouth or the part of your throat at the back of your mouth (oropharynx) a complete cure may be possible using surgery alone. If the cancer is large or has spread to your neck, a combination of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy may be needed.
It can be quite an aggressive cancer. The cancer may not be found until it is quite advanced because you might not have any pain or symptoms. Your dentist is the person most likely to discover your mouth cancer, so it's important to have regular dental check-ups.
Moreover, the survival rate depends on specific factors, like the cancer stage, cancer location, and the patient's age. The survival rate among people with early-stage untreated mouth cancer is around 30% for five years, whereas the rate gets reduced to 12% for people with Stage 4 untreated mouth cancer.
Most patients with stage I or II oral cavity cancers do well when treated with surgery and/or radiation therapy. Chemotherapy (chemo) given along with radiation (called chemoradiation) is another option. Both surgery and radiation work equally well in treating these cancers.
There are approximately 2500 new cases of oral and pharyngeal cancer registered in Australia each year (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare). The life-time risk of developing oral cancer is approximately 1 in 90 for men and 1 in 200 for women (NHMRC 1996).
Oral cancer accounts for roughly three percent of all cancers diagnosed annually in the United States, or about 53,000 new cases each year. Oral cancer most often occurs in people over the age of 40 and affects more than twice as many men as women.
Mouth cancer, also known as oral cancer or cancer of the oral cavity, is often used to describe a number of cancers that start in the region of the mouth. These most commonly occur on the lips, tongue and floor of the mouth but can also start in the cheeks, gums, roof of the mouth, tonsils and salivary glands.
If the cancer is diagnosed at an early stage, the overall 5-year survival rate for all people is 85%. About 28% of oral and oropharyngeal cancers are diagnosed at this stage. If the cancer has spread to surrounding tissues or organs and/or the regional lymph nodes, the overall 5-year survival rate is 68%.
Mouth sores that easily bleed and do not heal. Loose teeth. Red or white patches on the tonsils, gums, tongue, or the mouth lining. Having a thickening or a lump on the cheek, gums, lips, or neck.
People with cancer of the oral cavity or oropharynx are at risk of the cancer coming back and are at risk for developing new cancers in the head and neck area, so they must be watched closely after treatment.
The problem is that it often is diagnosed in very late stages, at which point treatment is not as effective. Frequently the cancer has spread to other parts of the body by the time it has been detected. Because of this, the oral cancer survival rate is somewhat low.
Stage 2 oral cancer: A stage 2 oral tumor measures 2 cm to 4 cm across, and no cancer cells are present in nearby structures, lymph nodes or distant sites.
In the early stages of oral cancer, you may mistake your symptoms for something else. But if your symptoms last, make sure you visit your doctor for an oral cancer screening as soon as possible. Early detection helps boost the odds of successful treatment, says the Oral Cancer Foundation.
Survival can vary from 95% at five years for stage 1 mouth cancer to 5% at five years for some cancers at stage 4 disease, depending on the location of the lesion. Stage of diagnosis affects survival, and people diagnosed with mouth cancer at stage 3 and 4 have a significantly reduced prognosis.
Most people can go home a few days after surgery for oral cancer. If needed, you'll be taught how to take care of any dressings, tubes, or drains before you go home. It will most likely take you several weeks to feel better. Once you've left the hospital, you'll likely still need some special care as you recover.
Most cases of mouth cancer first develop in older adults who are aged between 50 and 74 years old. Mouth cancer can occur in younger adults, but it's thought that HPV infection may be responsible for the majority of cases that occur in younger people. Mouth cancer is more common in men than in women.
The most common sites where mouth and oropharyngeal cancer spread to include: the lymph nodes in the neck. the bones. the lungs.
Surgeons usually perform a wide resection to manage oral cancer, meaning they surgically remove the tumor along with a margin of healthy tissue to help ensure all cancerous cells are removed. If a tumor is found on the lip, tongue, or in the lining of the oral cavity, surgeons may remove surrounding soft tissue.