Lip and oral cavity carcinoma

A carcinoma arising in the lip or oral cavity. Most oral cavity carcinomas are squamous cell carcinomas of the tongue, buccal mucosa, or gums. Less frequent morphologic variants include mucoepidermoid carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. Lip carcinomas are usually basal cell or squamous cell carcinomas.

lip and oral cavity cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the lips or mouth. Tobacco and alcohol use can affect the risk of lip and oral cavity cancer. Signs of lip and oral cavity cancer include a sore or lump on the lips or in the mouth. Tests that examine the mouth and throat are used to detect (find), diagnose, and stage lip and oral cavity cancer. Certain factors affect prognosis (chance of recovery) and treatment options. Lip and oral cavity cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the lips or mouth.

Anatomy of the oral cavity

The oral cavity includes the following:

• The front two thirds of the tongue.
• The gingiva (gums).
• The buccal mucosa (the lining of the inside of the cheeks).
• The floor (bottom) of the mouth under the tongue.
• The hard palate (the roof of the mouth).
• The retromolar trigone (the small area behind the wisdom teeth).

The oral cavity includes the lips, hard palate (the bony front portion of the roof of the mouth), soft palate (the muscular back portion of the roof of the mouth), retromolar trigone (the area behind the wisdom teeth), front two-thirds of the tongue, gingiva (gums), buccal mucosa (the inner lining of the lips and cheeks), and floor of the mouth under the tongue.

Lip and oral cavity cancers

Most lip and oral cavity cancers start in squamous cells, the thin, flat cells lining the inside of the lips and oral cavity. These are called squamous cell carcinomas. Cancer cells may spread into deeper tissue as the cancer grows. Squamous cell carcinoma usually develops in areas of leukoplakia (white patches of cells that do not rub off).

Risk factors

Tobacco and alcohol use can affect the risk of lip and oral cavity cancer. Anything that increases your risk of getting a disease is called a risk factor. Having a risk factor does not mean that you will get cancer; not having risk factors doesn't mean that you will not get cancer. Talk with your doctor if you think you may be at risk. Risk factors for lip and oral cavity cancer include the following:

• Using tobacco products.
• Heavy alcohol use.
• Being exposed to natural sunlight or artificial sunlight (such as from tanning beds) over long periods of time.
• Being male.
• Signs of lip and oral cavity cancer include a sore or lump on the lips or in the mouth.
• These and other signs and symptoms may be caused by lip and oral cavity cancer or by other conditions. Check with your doctor if you have any of the following:

• A sore on the lip or in the mouth that does not heal.
• A lump or thickening on the lips or gums or in the mouth.
• A white or red patch on the gums, tongue, or lining of the mouth.
• Bleeding, pain, or numbness in the lip or mouth.
• Change in voice.
• Loose teeth or dentures that no longer fit well.
• Trouble chewing or swallowing or moving the tongue or jaw.
• Swelling of jaw.
• Sore throat or feeling that something is caught in the throat.
• Lip and oral cavity cancer may not have any symptoms and is sometimes found during a regular dental exam.

• Tests that examine the mouth and throat are used to detect (find), diagnose, and stage lip and oral cavity cancer.

The following tests and procedures may be used:

Physical exam

Physical examination of the lips and oral cavity: An exam to check the lips and oral cavity for abnormal areas. The medical doctor or dentist will feel the entire inside of the mouth with a gloved finger and examine the oral cavity with a small long-handled mirror and lights. This will include checking the insides of the cheeks and lips; the gums; the roof and floor of the mouth; and the top, bottom, and sides of the tongue. The neck will be felt for swollen lymph nodes. A history of the patient’s health habits and past illnesses and medical and dental treatments will also be taken.

• Endoscopy: A procedure to look at organs and tissues inside the body to check for abnormal areas. An endoscope is inserted through an incision (cut) in the skin or opening in the body, such as the mouth. An endoscope is a thin, tube-like instrument with a light and a lens for viewing. It may also have a tool to remove tissue or lymph node samples, which are checked under a microscope for signs of disease.
• Biopsy: The removal of cells or tissues so they can be viewed under a microscope by a pathologist. If leukoplakia is found, cells taken from the patches are also checked under the microscope for signs of cancer.
• Exfoliative cytology: A procedure to collect cells from the lip or oral cavity. A piece of cotton, a brush, or a small wooden stick is used to gently scrape cells from the lips, tongue, mouth, or throat. The cells are viewed under a microscope to find out if they are abnormal.
• MRI (magnetic resonance imaging): A procedure that uses a magnet, radio waves, and a computer to make a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body. This procedure is also called nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI).
• CT scan (CAT scan): A procedure that makes a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body, taken from different angles. The pictures are made by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. A dye may be injected into a vein or swallowed to help the organs or tissues show up more clearly. This procedure is also called computed tomography, computerized tomography, or computerized axial tomography.
• Computed tomography (CT) scan of the head and neck. The patient lies on a table that slides through the CT scanner, which takes x-ray pictures of the inside of the head and neck.
• Barium swallow: A series of x-rays of the esophagus and stomach. The patient drinks a liquid that contains barium (a silver-white metallic compound). The liquid coats the esophagus and x-rays are taken. This procedure is also called an upper GI series.
• PET scan (positron emission tomography scan): A procedure to find malignant tumor cells in the body. A small amount of radioactive glucose (sugar) is injected into a vein. The PET scanner rotates around the body and makes a picture of where glucose is being used in the body. Malignant tumor cells show up brighter in the picture because they are more active and take up more glucose than normal cells do.
• Bone scan: A procedure to check if there are rapidly dividing cells, such as cancer cells, in the bone. A very small amount of radioactive material is injected into a vein and travels through the bloodstream. The radioactive material collects in the bones with cancer and is detected by a scanner.

Prognosis

• Certain factors affect prognosis (chance of recovery) and treatment options.
• Prognosis (chance of recovery) depends on the following:

• The stage of the cancer.
• Where the tumor is in the lip or oral cavity.
• Whether the cancer has spread to blood vessels.
• For patients who smoke, the chance of recovery is better if they stop smoking before beginning radiation therapy.

Stages of Lip and Oral Cavity Cancer

After lip and oral cavity cancer has been diagnosed, tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the lip and oral cavity or to other parts of the body. There are three ways that cancer spreads in the body. Cancer may spread from where it began to other parts of the body. The following stages are used for lip and oral cavity cancer:

• Stage 0 (Carcinoma in Situ)
• Stage I
• Stage II
• Stage III
• Stage IV

After lip and oral cavity cancer has been diagnosed, tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the lip and oral cavity or to other parts of the body. The process used to find out if cancer has spread within the lip and oral cavity or to other parts of the body is called staging. The information gathered from the staging process determines the stage of the disease. It is important to know the stage in order to plan treatment. The results of the tests used to diagnose lip and oral cavity cancer are also used to stage the disease. (See the General Information section.)

Spread

There are three ways that cancer spreads in the body. Cancer can spread through tissue, the lymph system, and the blood:

• Tissue. The cancer spreads from where it began by growing into nearby areas.
• Lymph system. The cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the lymph system. The cancer travels through the lymph vessels to other parts of the body.
• Blood. The cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the blood. The cancer travels through the blood vessels to other parts of the body.
• Cancer may spread from where it began to other parts of the body.
• When cancer spreads to another part of the body, it is called metastasis. Cancer cells break away from where they began (the primary tumor) and travel through the lymph system or blood.
• Lymph system. The cancer gets into the lymph system, travels through the lymph vessels, and forms a tumor (metastatic tumor) in another part of the body.
• Blood. The cancer gets into the blood, travels through the blood vessels, and forms a tumor (metastatic tumor) in another part of the body.
• The metastatic tumor is the same type of cancer as the primary tumor. For example, if lip cancer spreads to the lung, the cancer cells in the lung are actually lip cancer cells. The disease is metastatic lip cancer, not lung cancer.

Cause of mortality

• Many cancer deaths are caused when cancer moves from the original tumor and spreads to other tissues and organs. This is called metastatic cancer. This animation shows how cancer cells travel from the place in the body where they first formed to other parts of the body.

Treatment options

Treatment options depend on the following:

• The stage of the cancer.
• The size of the tumor and where it is in the lip or oral cavity.
• Whether the patient's appearance and ability to talk and eat can stay the same.
• The patient's age and general health.
• Patients who have had lip and oral cavity cancer have an increased risk of developing a second cancer in the head or neck. Frequent and careful follow-up is important. Clinical trials are studying the use of retinoid drugs to reduce the risk of a second head and neck cancer. Information about ongoing clinical trials is available from the NCI website.

Patients with lip and oral cavity cancer should have their treatment planned by a team of doctors who are expert in treating head and neck cancer. Two types of standard treatment are used:

• Surgery
• Radiation therapy
• New types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials.
• Chemotherapy
• Hyperfractionated radiation therapy
• Hyperthermia therapy

Treatment for lip and oral cavity cancer may cause side effects.

• Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial.
• Patients can enter clinical trials before, during, or after starting their cancer treatment.
• Follow-up tests may be needed.

Lip and oral cavity carcinoma Resources
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Lip and oral cavity carcinoma Resources
Need Help Finding a Doctor? Need help finding a doctor or specialist anywhere in the world? Explore our world directory. WikiMD's DocFinder can assist you in locating millions of physicians.	Medical Knowledge Access the latest research - Most recent articles Ongoing trials.

Translate to: East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski