Oral Cancer: Importance of Early Diagnosis and Treatment

Updated on 24 June 2022

Oral cancer is a type of cancer which falls in the category of head and neck cancer (HNC). It comprises diverse tumour types arising from different anatomic structures such as the oropharynx, oral cavity, hypopharynx, larynx, and nasopharynx. Approximately 90% of all these tumours are represented by squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) with over 50% of them arising in the oral cavity. The most well-established risk factors associated with the same include excessive alcohol consumption, tobacco use, and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.

Oral and pharyngeal tumours account for the sixth most common types of cancers worldwide. Oral cancer is a lethal disease with a low survival rate as witnessed during the last few decades. This discrepancy can be explained by two reasons:

Delay in the diagnosis
High tumour recurrence rates

The risk of death increases when the patients aren’t diagnosed at an early stage.

Importance of Early Detection

Early detection increases the chances of successful treatment. The two major constituents of early detection involve – screening and education for promoting early diagnosis. Early diagnosis helps recognize possible warning signs and take prompt action towards getting the treatment for oral cancer. The disease can be effectively tackled when there is an increased awareness of the possible warning signs among nurses, physicians, and other health care providers.

Screening

Screening is a strategy developed to detect a disease in an individual without any visible symptoms. The purpose is the early identification of the disease. Conventional oral examination (COE) is the most common method of oral cancer screening. Although the method is quite useful to discover certain oral lesions, its ability to identify all oral premalignant lesions remains controversial. Being a subjective test, the accuracy also depends on the expertise of the doctor.

The current identification of oral cancers and potentially malignant disorders relies on a biopsy of the target tissue and is followed by a histopathological assessment by a trained pathologist. Although the method is considered a gold standard for cancer identification, it has several limitations. Tissue biopsy is an expensive, invasive and often time-consuming procedure. The diagnosis interpretation also suffers from both inter and intra-observer variability. Therefore, there has been greater emphasis on developing newer screening tools to accurately detect oral cancer in the early stages. Oral cancer symptoms and treatment options must be carefully evaluated when a patient is doubtful.

Optical technologies have the ability to offer real-time assessment in a minimally invasive way while also eliminating longer waiting time and offering assistance in biopsy site selection. One optical technique that is exceedingly accurate in oral lesion detection is autofluorescence. Many other early detection methods have also been developed such as Toluidine Blue (TBlue).

Since oral cancer is fatal when detected late, one must visit the best hospitals for cancer treatment for early and accurate detection. This will lead them to seek proper diagnosis of oral cancer.

CARE Medical Team

ENQUIRY FORM

Name*

Email Id*

Phone Number*

Type Your Query*

I agree with the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy of CARE Hospital’s website.

Captcha *

Name*

Email Id*

Phone Number*

Type Your Query*

I agree with the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy of CARE Hospital’s website.

Captcha *

Clinical Services

Professions Allied to Medicine

Pharmacy

Laboratory Services & Transfusion Services

Diagnostics Services

Specialities

Treatments and Procedures

Oral Cancer: Importance of Early Diagnosis and Treatment

Table of Content

Importance of Early Detection

Screening

ENQUIRY FORM

SELECT CATEGORIES

STAY CONNECTED

Share this article on:

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

How to Prepare for a Joint Replacement Surgery?

Parkinson’s Disease: Early Signs to Look For

Tobacco: The Leading Cause of Preventable Death

Risks and Benefits of Cancer Drugs

Sarcoma: Types, Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

How to Cure Migraine: 14 Home Remedies for Relief

13 Health Benefits of Muskmelon

Health Benefits and Nutritional value of Pomegranate

Incomplete Abortion: Signs, Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis and Management

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS): Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment and Natural Remedies

Sour Taste in Mouth: Causes, Treatment, Prevention and Home Remedies

14 Home Remedies For Allergies

12 Health Benefits of Anjeer and Nutritional Value

12 Health Benefits of Eating Cucumber (Kheera) and Nutritional Value

Beetroot: Health benefits, Nutritional Value and More

Full Body Detox: 7 Natural Ways to Renew and Restore Your Body

Dengue Diet: What Foods to Eat and What to Avoid

Pneumonia Diet: What food to Eat and Avoid

12 Fiber Rich Foods You Should Eat to Stay Healthy

12 Effective Home Remedies for Flu

Placental Abruption: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment and Prevention

12 Common Foods to Increase Lymphocytes

High ESR In Females: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

How to Get Rid of Water in the Ear: 8 Simple Methods

Cardiac Failure: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

Thyroid Nodules: Types, Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

12 Health Benefits of Walnuts

Osteoarthritis Vs Rheumatoid Arthritis: Know the Difference

RECENT BLOGS