Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Mouth cancers most commonly begin in the flat, thin cells (squamous cells) that line your lips and the inside of your mouth. Most oral cancers are squamous cell carcinomas. Mouth cancer is more common in men than in women, developing between 50-74 years of age. This is thought to be due to the fact that, on average, men drink more alcohol than women. Squamous cell carcinoma usually develops in areas of leukoplakia (white patches of cells that do not rub off).
Lip and oral cavity cancer may not have any symptoms and is sometimes found during a regular dental examination.
What to look for
- A sore on the lip or in the mouth that does not heal
- A lump or thickening on the lips or gums or in the mouth
- A white (leukoplakia) or red (erythroplakia) patch on the gums, tongue, or lining of the mouth
- Bleeding, pain, or numbness in the lip or mouth
- Change in voice
- Loose teeth or dentures that no longer fit well
- Trouble chewing or swallowing or moving the tongue or jaw
- Swelling of jaw
- Sore throat or feeling that something is caught in the throat
Treatment
Risk Factors
Smoking and Chewing – tobacco use of any kind, including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, chewing tobacco and snuff, as well as chewing Areca nut, Betel quid, paan, qat
Sun – excessive exposure to lips
Viral – Infection with the human papilloma virus (HPV), the virus that causes genital warts
HIV – oral cancer risk is around twice higher in people with HIV/AIDS, compared with the general population
These pictures and the related text are free to download for training purposes only.
But please consider a donation to support our work.
Support our work
at Teeth Relief
If you have found these training
aids useful, please consider
making a donation to support
our work.