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Mouth and Tongue Cancer:
Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments

An estimated 30,000 Americans are diagnosed with cancers of the mouth and tongue each year, and about 8,000 people die from these cancers annually. Oral cancers involve the lips, the tongue, the inner cheeks and the gums. Cancers of the jaw muscles, bones or salivary glands are not considered mouth cancers.

Causes of Mouth and Tongue Cancer

Like most other cancers, the exact cause of cancers of the mouth and tongue are unknown, but tobacco and alcohol users are much more susceptible. In fact, about seventy to eighty percent of all mouth and tongue cancers are related to tobacco and alcohol use.

Other risk factors for oral cancer include:

age: Most oral cancer cases occur in people over age forty. This may be due to long-term irritation of the mouth as a result of tobacco, alcohol, or other substances.
gender: Oral cancer is about twice as common in men as in women.
poor oral hygiene.

Symptoms of Mouth and Tongue Cancer

The first symptom of cancer of the mouth or tongue is a small white lesion, lump or ulcer. The small bump may be painless initially, so it may go unnoticed. Also, the change in the tissue often resembles other normal changes in mouth tissue such as canker sores, so it may be disregarded, even if it is noticed. The difference, though, is that a cancerous lesion, lump or ulcer is not temporary. It stays there and may get larger.

The tumor may also cause pain in the later stages of the cancer.

Treating Mouth and Tongue Cancer

Treatment of oral cancers depends on the stage of the cancer. If the cancer is caught and diagnosed early, a surgical procedure to remove the tumor may be all that is necessary. If the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, radiation and/or chemotherapy may be necessary.

Some people may require speech or chewing therapy following treatment, especially if portions of the mouth and tongue are removed.

Resources

CancerAnswers. (updated 2004). Mouth cancer.

Hale, K.L. (updated 2005).Cancer of the mouth and throat.

National Library of Medicine. (updated 2004). Oral cancer. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia.

Oral Cancer Foundation. (updated 2005). Oral cancer facts.

University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. (nd). Cancer of the tongue. McKesson Health Solutions LLC.