Treatment for mouth cancer

Treatment for cancer in the mouth can be done through surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy or targeted therapy, depending on the location of the tumor, the severity of the disease and whether the cancer has already spread to other parts of the body.

The chances of a cure for this type of cancer are greater the sooner treatment is started. Therefore, it is very important to be aware of symptoms that may indicate oral cancer, such as:

• Sore or cold sore in the mouth that does not heal;
• White or red spots inside the mouth;
• Emergence of tongues in the neck.

When they do appear, a dentist or general practitioner should be consulted to identify the problem that may be causing the symptoms and to begin treatment as soon as possible. Cases of cancer in the mouth are more frequent in people with a family history of the disease, use of cigarettes or recurrent practice of unprotected oral sex with several partners.

Learn other symptoms and how to identify oral cancer.

1. How the surgery is done

Surgery for oral cancer aims to remove the tumor so that it does not increase in size, or spread to other organs. Most of the time, the tumor is small and, therefore, it is only necessary to remove a piece of the gum, however, there are several surgical procedures to remove the cancer, depending on the location of the tumor:

• Glossectomy: consists of the removal of part or all of the tongue, when cancer is present in this organ;
• Mandibulectomy: it is done with the removal of all or part of the chin bone, performed when the tumor develops in the jaw bone;
• Maxillectomy: when the cancer develops in the roof of the mouth, it is necessary to remove the bone from the jaw;
• Laryngectomy: consists of the removal of the larynx when the cancer is located in this organ or has spread there.

Generally, after surgery, it is necessary to reconstruct the affected area in order to maintain its functions and aesthetics, using, for this, muscles or bones from other parts of the body. Recovery from surgery varies from person to person, but it can take up to 1 year.

Although rare, some side effects of surgery for oral cancer include difficulty speaking, swallowing or breathing and cosmetic changes to the face, depending on the locations that have been treated.

2. How target therapy works

Targeted therapy uses drugs to help the immune system specifically identify and attack cancer cells, with little effect on normal cells in the body.

A remedy used in the targeted therapy is Cetuximab, which prevents the growth of cancer cells and prevents them from spreading through the body. This medicine can be combined with radiotherapy or chemotherapy, to increase the chance of cure.

Some side effects of targeted therapy for cancer in the mouth may be allergic reactions, difficulty breathing, increased blood pressure, acne, fever or diarrhea, for example.

3. When chemotherapy is needed

Chemotherapy is usually used before surgery to decrease the size of the tumor, or afterwards, to eliminate the last cancer cells. However, it can also be used when there are metastases, to try to eliminate them and facilitate treatment with other options.

This type of treatment can be done with taking pills, at home, or with medicines placed directly in the vein, in the hospital. These drugs, such as Cisplatin, 5-FU, Carboplatin or Docetaxel, have the function of eliminating all the cells that are growing very quickly and, therefore, in addition to cancer they can also attack the hair and nail cells, for example.

Thus, the most common side effects of chemotherapy include:

• Hair loss;
• Inflammation of the mouth;
• Loss of appetite;
• Nausea or vomiting;
• Diarrhea;
• Increased possibility of infections;
• Muscle sensitivity and pain.

The severity of side effects depends on the medication used and the dosage, but they usually disappear within a few days after treatment.

4. When to have radiotherapy

Radiotherapy for oral cancer is similar to chemotherapy, but it uses radiation to destroy or slow down the growth rate of all cells in the mouth, and can be applied alone or associated with chemotherapy or targeted therapy.

Radiation therapy in oral and oropharyngeal cancer is usually applied externally, using a machine that emits radiation over the mouth, and must be performed 5 times a week for a few weeks or months.

By attacking several cells in the mouth, this treatment can cause burns on the skin where the radiation is applied, hoarseness, loss of taste, redness and irritation of the throat or the appearance of sores in the mouth, for example.

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