Oral cancer screening
Oral cancer is any cancerous tissue growth located in the mouth. The most common form is squamous cell carcinoma which originates in the tissues that line the mouth and lips including the tongue, the floor of the mouth, cheek lining, gingiva (gums), or palate (roof of the mouth). Squamous cell carcinoma is malignant and tends to spread rapidly (metastasize).
Dr. Nasralla and his team realize the importance of identifying and treating these cancers in a timely manner, therefore they are always looking for and screening any suspicious findings.
Known risk factors for oral cancer may include a genetic family predisposition, smoking and tobacco chewing in conjunction with heavy alcohol intake, and age especially if one is 40 years or more.
Symptoms may include the following with skin lesions, lumps, or ulcers:
- Usually small and unilateral
- On the tongue, lip, or other mouth areas
- Most often pale coloured, maybe dark or discoloured
- Early sign may be a white patch (leukoplakia) or a red patch (erythroplakia) on the tissues of the mouth
- Usually painless initially
- May develop a burning sensation or pain when the tumor is advanced
- Tongue problems
- Difficulty swallowing
- Mouth sores that do not heal in 14 days
- Numbness in late stages
While Dr. Nasralla or other medical professionals may suspect a particular lesion is cancerous, the only definitive method for determining this is through a biopsy (done at Dr. Nasralla’s clinic) and microscopic evaluation of the tissue sample (done at the hospital pathology laboratory).
If you or anyone you know becomes aware of any oral changes that cannot be explained, please contact us immediately for a consultation.
To view pictures of oral cancer click here.
To become a new patient of Dr Phil Nasralla please fill out our New Patient Dental Questionnaire