Jaw cancer, also known as ameloblastic carcinoma of the jaw, is a rare type of tumor that develops in the lower jaw bone and causes early symptoms such as progressive pain in the mouth and swelling in the region of the jaw and neck.
This type of cancer is usually diagnosed in the early stages because of the symptoms, which are apparent, and the result of radiological examinations; however, when diagnosed in later stages, there is a greater chance of metastasis to other organs, making treatment difficult.
Main Symptoms of Jaw Cancer
The symptoms of jaw cancer are very characteristic and may even be noticed visually, the main ones being:
- Swelling in the face or just the chin;
- Bleeding in the mouth;
- Difficulty opening and closing the mouth;
- Voice alterations;
- Difficulty chewing and swallowing, because these actions cause pain;
- Numbness or tingling in the jaw;
- Frequent headache.
Despite the symptoms, in several cases the cancer in the jaw can appear without there being any symptom, being able to develop in a silent form.
Thus, if there are changes in the jaw and neck that take more than 1 week to disappear, it is recommended to consult a general practitioner to make the diagnosis and initiate appropriate treatment.
How is the treatment done?
Treatment for cancer of the jaw should be done in hospitals specializing in oncology, such as INCA, and usually varies according to the degree of tumor development and the age of the patient.
However, in most cases, treatment is started with surgery to remove as much of the affected tissue as possible, and it may be necessary to place metal prostheses in the jawbone to replace the lack of bone. After the surgery, radiotherapy sessions are done to eliminate the remaining malignant cells, so the number of sessions varies according to the degree of cancer development.
In cases where the cancer is overdeveloped and treatment is not started on time, metastases may occur elsewhere in the body, such as the lungs, liver or brain, making treatment more complicated and decreasing the chance of cure.
In the first few days after surgery it may be difficult to open your mouth, so see what you can eat in: What to eat when I can not chew.
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