Common Symptoms of Mouth Cancer

The common symptoms of this specific type of cancer include the presence of an ulcer, a lump or a skin lesion on the lip, tongue or other areas inside the mouth. The presence of these signs is commonly associated with pain or a burning sensation, specifically in the area where the tumor is located. At first, these signs are painless. There is a strong possibility that a person has mouth cancer if there is erythroplakia or a red patch on the mouth’s soft tissue. The same thing can also be concluded with the presence of leukoplakia or a white patch within the same area. Although quite small, this ulcer, lump or skin lesion is highly noticeable because it is typically discolored or dark. If this is not the case, it can be pale colored.

Other Signs of Oral Cancer

Besides the common symptoms associated with mouth cancer, patients may also exhibit less common types of symptoms. Two of these signs are difficult swallowing and tongue problems. In addition, you must be alarmed when your mouth sores do not heal after at least a couple of weeks. Although pain is absent during the early stages, the late symptoms of this medical condition include paraesthesia and pain. Other obvious signs of oral cancer include loose teeth, numbness inside the mouth and unexplained bleeding. Performing certain simple tasks like eating, swallowing and speaking can also indicate this kind of major problem. Some signs may not directly indicate cancer, but somehow they can still be considered as symptoms. These include hoarseness, swelling of the jaw and longer-lasting sore throat. Some mouth cancer patients can suffer different types of discomforts including an earache, a lump in the neck area and difficulty wearing dentures. Another sign of this disease is halitosis or bad breath, which may somehow be caused by the ulcers inside the mouth.

More Points on the Symptoms of Mouth Cancer

In the United States alone, close to 34,000 persons were diagnosed with this serious health problem in 2008. After undergoing surgery, complications are very much possible including metastasis and postoperative disfigurement, specifically of the neck, head and face. By undergoing radiation therapy, patients can also suffer from swallowing difficulties as well as dry mouth.

Because mouth cancer is truly a serious medical condition, it is highly important to know its causes, diagnosis and treatments. More importantly, it is also important to understand the various signs and symptoms of this disease. This can actually help doctors determine the real cause and nature of the problem as well as guide them to prescribe the right kind of drugs that would work best for their patients.