ORALCANCER
Oral cancer is the sixth most common cancer, with roughly 40,000 new cases reported annually in the United States. If not diagnosed and treated early, oral cancer can spread, which may lead to chronic pain, loss of function, irreparable facial and oral disfigurement following surgery, and even death.
The vast majority of oral cancers occur in people older than 45 years. Men are twice as likely as women to develop the disease. When tobacco use and alcohol use are combined, the risk of oral cancer increases 15 times more than non-users of tobacco and alcohol products. Some symptoms include:
- a sore or lump on the lip, mouth, or throat that does not heal
- a white or red patch on the gums, tongue, or lining of the mouth
- unusual bleeding, pain, or numbness in the mouth
- a feeling that something is caught in the throat
- difficulty or pain with chewing or swallowing
- swelling of the jaw that causes dentures to fit poorly
- a change in the voice
- pain in the ear
