“What are the symptoms of mouth cancer?”
My brother has been a chain smoker and has the habit of chewing tobacco. Are there any symptoms of mouth cancer that he should look out for? What are the chances of him suffering from the disease?
7 Answers
There are a number of symptoms that predict mouth cancer. This type of cancer is often related to a history of smoking, tobacco, chewing, and drinking, but it does not need to have one of these habits to cause it. So here are some of the symptoms: Pain during the first phase of swallowing, a sore tongue, any kind of mass in the tongue, lining of the cheeks , hard palate, area of gum behind the last molar, floor of mouse, or the tissue lining the inside of the mouth near where the lips are. Soreness in any one of these areas with an ulcer or hole is also a possible sign of mouth cancer. Having a history of a white coating in the mouth, known as a leukoplakia can also be present before mouth cancer develops If you have any of these symptoms or signs, please seek the attention of your primary care physician, and if something is indeed present, a referral to an a ENT or otolaryngologist will likely be needed. Andrew J. Young, M.D.
He should be checked regularly by his dentist and doctor. Common symptoms are enlarged masses in the neck, pain, difficulty swallowing, talking, and eating with weight loss.
He does have significant risk of developing cancer of oral cavity and oropharynx. I would recommend to follow up with the dentist and otolaryngologist. The main symptoms are discomfort and or pain with chewing and swallowing.
Early, there are no symptoms. Can be screened by dentist to look for leukoplakia and erythroplasia for early cancer. For late cancer, symptoms include soreness and pain, difficulty swallowing, penning the mouth feel a mass or non-healing wound or opening. Your brother is at high risk, increased with alcohol consumption.
No healing sore or enlarging bleeding pimple usually with pain. If there are also neck lumps, that may suggest lymph node involvement.
Roger Macklis, MD
Roger Macklis, MD
He should get in to see an Ear, Nose & Throat specialist on a regular 6 mo. or yearly basis. Any kind of soreness or tenderness in his mouth or neck, or any lumps or fullness should take him to the ENT doctor IMMEDIATELY.
Chewing tobacco or smoking can cause head and neck cancers among other things. Symptoms depend on the type of mouth cancers. Chewing tobacco may cause buccal cavity cancers. Look for bleeding, enlarging mass, paresthesia, redness around the lesion, leukoplakia, lymph node enlargement in the neck, etc.
