Just over 20% of cases occur in patients younger than 55. However, it can affect anyone. There are several known risk factors that could increase your risk of developing oral cancer. If you use any kind of tobacco, cigarettes, cigars, pipes, chewing tobacco, and others, you're at a greater risk.
Oral cancer most often occurs in people over the age of 40 and affects more than twice as many men as women. Most oral cancers are related to tobacco use, alcohol use (or both), or infection by the human papilloma virus (HPV).
Risk factors for developing mouth cancer include: smoking or using products that contain tobacco. drinking alcohol – smokers who are also heavy drinkers have a much higher risk compared to the population at large. infection with the human papilloma virus (HPV), the virus that causes genital warts.
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.
Smoking. Smoking tobacco (cigarettes, pipes, cigars) increases your risk of developing mouth and oropharyngeal cancer.
However, it can affect anyone. There are several known risk factors that could increase your risk of developing oral cancer. If you use any kind of tobacco, cigarettes, cigars, pipes, chewing tobacco, and others, you're at a greater risk. Heavy alcohol use also increases the risk.
Age: The average age at diagnosis for oral cancer is 63, and more than two-thirds of individuals with this disease are over age 55, although it may occur in younger people, as well.
The incidence of oral cancer increases with age. The increase becomes more rapid after age 50, particularly for adults aged 65 years and older.
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.
For all mouth (oral cavity) cancers:
more than 75 out of 100 people (more than 75%) 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.
Chronic stress promotes oral cancer growth and angiogenesis with increased circulating catecholamine and glucocorticoid levels in a mouse model [10].
A 2017 study found that some people survive oral cancer long-term, even without treatment. 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%.
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.
Most oral cancers are a type called squamous cell carcinoma. These cancers tend to spread quickly.
"If you see a lesion in a smoker, be worried. If you see a lesion in a non-smoker, be very worried. Don't assume it can't be cancer because they're a non-smoker; our research indicates non-smokers may be at higher risk."
Red flag 1: Persistent unexplained head and neck lumps for >3 weeks. Red flag 2: An ulceration or unexplained swelling of the oral mucosa persisting for >3 weeks. Red flag 3: All red or mixed red and white patches of the oral mucosa persisting for >3 weeks.
Many dentists routinely check for mouth and oropharyngeal cancer. So they are often the first people to spot the early signs of cancer. If the dentist suspects cancer they can refer you to a specialist.
Oral cancers can be detected early during a routine dental exam. Patients should discuss with the dentist any new concerns they have, even if these concerns do not specifically deal with teeth.
Overall, 68% of people with oral cancer survive for 5 years.
If the cancer is diagnosed at an early stage, the 5-year relative survival rate for all people is 86%. 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 5-year relative survival rate is 69%.
Stage IV Mouth Cancer
Stage IV is the most advanced stage of mouth cancer. It may be any size, but it has spread to: nearby tissue, such as the jaw or other parts of the oral cavity.
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.
Mouth cancer isn't usually painful
“Tumors in the mouth usually just feel like a bump,” Akhave says. You may also have trouble swallowing if a tumor is deep in the mouth. Leukoplakia or erythroplakia anywhere in the mouth may bleed if they're irritated – but the bleeding isn't painful either.
"There are two basic ways that oral cancers present in the mouth — as white patches or red patches," says Dr. Kain. "Red patches are a bit more concerning than white patches, but either needs to be evaluated if it doesn't go away after several weeks."