In a recent case that brought joy to the patient and her family, Dr. Steven Paul, who has over 20 years of dental experience in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery as well as General Dentistry, detected oral cancer early in a 13-year-old patient’s mouth and successfully treated cancer before it spread in the body.

Initially, the patient was referred to Dr. Paul for a dental condition involving the extraction and treatment of a severely infected tooth in the lower right jaw. However, after examining the patient and reviewing the radiographs, Dr. Paul felt something wasn’t right around the infected area. Dr. Paul duly treated the patient but also sent out a sample of the tissue from the infected area to a pathologist for testing. The test results showed lesions, which Dr. Paul diagnosed as Ewing Sarcoma. The young girl had two additional lesions on the leg and scalp.

Dr. Paul delved deeper into the matter and after interacting with the patient, found that the girl was under treatment by another doctor for the lesions. However, no biopsy was performed.

It seemed to be a case of misdiagnosis. As a result, the delay in diagnosis and treatment led to cancer spreading to the mouth in 10 months.

A treatment plan was formulated. While Dr. Paul treated the infected area and removed the cancerous material, another set of doctors treated other areas and provided chemotherapeutic treatments.

After three years, following several recurrences, the young patient was declared cancer-free.

Why Early Detection Is Important?

According to the American Cancer Society’s latest figures (2019) for oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers in the US, approximately 53,000 people are diagnosed with oral cavity or oropharyngeal cancer. And about 10,860 people will lose their lives to such cancers.

However, with early detection, better treatment outcome becomes possible and can save lives. Once detected early, about 60 percent of patients would survive for another five years.

What Is Oral Cancer?

People and dental patients need to be aware of the basics of oral cancer so that they can take preventive care and also recognize possible symptoms. Oral cancer has two categories:

Occurring in the oral cavity: Lips, inside of cheeks and lips, gums, teeth, the roof and floor of your mouth, and the front two-thirds of your tongue.

Occurring in the oropharynx: Middle region of the throat, including the base of the tongue and the tonsils.

What Are The Symptoms of Oral Cancer?

If you find any of the following symptoms persist, especially for over two weeks, please inform your dentist right away.

• White or red patches
• Crust or small eroded area, lump, or a thickening, rough spot
• Difficulty in speaking, swallowing, chewing, and moving your jaw or tongue
• Sustained irritation or soreness
• A change in the way your teeth come together upon closure of the mouth
• Some patients observe sore throat, feeling of something caught in the throat, hoarseness, or a change in voice.
• Numbness, pain, or tenderness in lips or mouth

How Your Dentist Detects Oral Cancer Early

While examining you, your dentist will enquire about changes in your medical history, and whether you observed unusual or new symptoms. Your dentist will check the following:

• Check your oral cavity including cheek lining, the front part of your tongue, lips, gums, the roof of your mouth, and the floor of your mouth.
• Examine your throat at the soft part at the roof of your mouth, including tonsils, the back section of your tongue and the area where your tongue attaches to the bottom of the mouth.
• The dentist will also feel your neck and jaw for any abnormalities or lumps.

What To Do If Oral Cancer Is Suspected?

Maintain calm. What may look cancerous may not be so, and your dentist will refer you for more testing. You may need to be re-examined in a week or two to determine if questionable spots are self-healing before recommending further follow-up. It’s advisable to work together with your dentist and create the best possible plan for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.

Oral Cancer Risks And Ways To Avoid It

Be aware of your risk factors: that’s the key. Research indicates several causative factors that can trigger oral cancers.

• According to the American Cancer Society, the average age of people diagnosed with oral cancer is 62.
• The cancer is rare in children. However, more than one-quarter of oral cancers occur in patients less than 55.
• Know that men are twice more likely to have oral cancer as they age. Also, men are twice more likely to be diagnosed with oral cancer compared to women.
• Stopping or controlling habits such as drinking excessive alcohol, smoking, or poor diet, can reduce the chances of developing oral cancer.
• Men and women, above 50, are more at risk if they drink and smoke.
• Strains of the sexually-transmitted Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) can put you at risk.
• The virus is known to be associated with throat cancers at the back of the mouth, especially in non-smoking adults. The HPV-positive neck and head cancers usually develop in the folds of the tonsils or the throat at the base: making them difficult to detect.
• Examination of the entire neck and head is important in early cancer detection.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that 11 to 12-year-old girls and boys receive two doses of HPV vaccine to prevent less common genital cancers and cervical cancer. Though not sufficiently validated, the HPV vaccine might also prevent neck and head cancers.

A Word of Caution

Past resolved oral cancer can reoccur, so ensure regular dental check-ups.

Dr. Steven Paul has helped many patients of oral cancer and encourages you to visit his clinic if you suspect oral cancer. As an Oral and Maxillofacial surgeon, Dr. Steven Paul surgically corrects conditions of the mouth and surrounding facial structures including the jaws, neck, and head. Dr. Paul also offers dental services that include treatment for TMJ disorders, dental implants, sleep apnea, jaw defects, impacted wisdom teeth, and tooth/bone loss.