Tongue Cancer Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Understanding
Tongue cancer is a type of cancer that grows in the mouth. Basically, the tongue is divided into two parts, namely the front which is located in the mouth and the back or base which is located near the throat.
Tongue cancer is found on the front 2/3 of the tongue. If it is found on 1/3 of the back of the tongue, it is classified as oropharyngeal cancer.
The most common type of tongue cancer is SCCA (Squamous Cell Carcinoma), which is cancer that originates from squamous cells. These cells are cells that line the tongue and are flat in shape.
Symptom
Some signs or symptoms that often arise include:
- a red or white rash on the tongue that doesn’t go away
- complaints similar to sore throat that does not heal
- canker sores/tongue bumps that don’t heal
- painful swallowing, pain in the tongue or throat that does not go away
- numbness in the mouth
- tongue bleeding of unknown cause
- difficulty moving the tongue and jaw
Reason
Like cancer in general, the exact cause of tongue cancer is still unknown to date. However, there are several risk factors that are thought to trigger tongue cancer, namely:
- smoke
- alcohol consumption
- HPV viruses
Diagnosis
To determine the diagnosis of tongue cancer, the doctor will conduct a medical interview or history taking to find out the symptoms that the sufferer feels. Apart from that, a physical examination of the head and neck will also be carried out – such as an examination of the lymph nodes, and a laryngoscopy examination.
Biopsy examination can be done by taking tissue samples to examine cells with the help of a microscope. If the biopsy results find signs of tongue cancer, then further examination with imaging methods such as plain X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, or PET scans can be done to confirm this.
Treatment
Treatment depends on the stage and size of the tongue cancer when it is found. Some possible treatments are:
- surgery
- radiation therapy
- chemotherapy