Oncological diseases affect a significant part of the population. You can suddenly discover in yourself or loved ones cancer of the skin, uterus, mammary glands, blood, and even cancer under the tongue. People know the least about the latter, and therefore it is considered one of the most dangerous. But no disease comes just like that. There are reasons for everything, it is important to pay attention to the symptoms at the initial stage. To be safe, you need to know everything about cancer.
What is this?
Cancer of the tongue is understood as a malignant tumor, consisting mainly of elements of the squamous epithelium. The first warnings of the body about the presence of the disease are ignored by many, and therefore only in the later stages can tongue cancer be diagnosed. Signs and symptoms mainly affect the oral cavity.
The disease affects men more often than women. Folk remedies help to alleviate the manifestation, but they cannot completely cure. Treatment is prescribed by an oncologist surgeon, taking into account the individual characteristics of the patient and the stage of tumor development.
At risk
Diseasenever arises just like that, and tongue cancer is no exception. It is important to study the signs and symptoms in order to protect yourself from problems. Most often at risk are those who expose their body to the following factors:
- smoking;
- regular excessive drinking;
- chew various narcotic mixtures;
- poor oral care;
- chemical and thermal burns;
- mechanical damage to the tongue.
Unfortunately, many of these items have long become bad habits for many, tormenting them throughout their lives. It is rather reckless to tell yourself that if tongue cancer has not developed in five years of smoking, then it will never happen again. Neoplasm can begin to develop even 20 years after smoking or abuse of strong drinks.
Precancerous conditions
There are a number of diseases that are called precancerous. These are the ones that begin to develop and progress, and eventually lead to the development of the initial stage of tongue cancer.
These include:
- chronic ulcer;
- Bowen's disease;
- glossy;
- erosion;
- leukoplakia.
If they are not treated in time, it will be difficult to avoid tongue cancer. It is necessary to undergo regular medical examinations, otherwise the district clinic will be replaced by an oncological hospital.
Symptomatics
In order for everything to end most favorably, you need to know howrecognize tongue cancer. Signs and symptoms, which are paid attention to in time, can ultimately save lives, because timely treatment is the key to the successful completion of the disease.
In the ulcerative form, people first notice the presence of sores. They appear suddenly either on the tongue or in the oral cavity and do not heal at all. Gradually, they can increase in size, causing itching, cutting pain and burning.
At the very first stages, painful sensations appear in the mouth. They can be localized on the gums, cheeks, throat. Most of the cancerous seals are located in the lateral part, so pain often occurs there. The mucous membrane of the surrounding tissues is also compacted. Whitish spots may appear. Sometimes squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue is not detected until metastases appear.
Violation of the sensitivity of the tongue is also a symptom of the disease. Together with the bleeding of the tumor, this only begins to bother in the later stages.
Symptoms include the following factors:
- Pain in the temple, ear, mouth, back of the head. They are migratory.
- Irritated throat, pain when swallowing.
- Persistent bad breath.
- Teeth falling out. It is observed in the case when metastases affect the jaw.
- Swelling of the face and neck.
- Excessive salivation caused by mouth irritation.
- Foreign body sensation in throat.
In case of signs of cancerit is necessary to immediately turn to the doctor and not try to cure it with folk remedies. Self-medication will only worsen the course of the disease.
Is it easy to spot?
Of all forms of cancer, it is easiest to detect cancer of the tongue. Signs and symptoms are localized in one of the most delicate areas, where even slight changes are immediately noticeable.
However, if you find discomfort in your mouth, you should not immediately diagnose yourself. This requires consultation with an oncologist. A qualified doctor without much difficulty even visually notices the presence of pathological changes. The affected area in its appearance is significantly different from the he althy one. These may be grayish or pink seals, a red tubercle that is dense to the touch.
Stages
In terms of frequency of occurrence, the first place is the defeat of the lateral surface of the middle third of the tongue, the second - cancer of the root of the tongue, less often you can find a tumor of the back of the tongue. All these species have a single system for determining stages, namely:
- 1 stage. During this period, a small tumor appears, usually it does not exceed 2 centimeters. Mostly it is located in the mucous and submucosal membranes. The spread of metastases and lesions of the lymph nodes has not yet occurred.
- 2 stage. The tumor is growing, it is already more than 2 cm, but does not exceed 4 cm. Any symptoms of the presence of metastases in the lymph nodes or other organs can only be revealed by a consultation with an oncologist. Usually metastasesare found in the chin area, under the jaw.
- 3 stage. The tumor begins to spread further and further, capturing most of the tongue. May gradually move to the bottom of the tongue, as a result of which the entire tongue becomes poorly mobile.
- 4 stage. The seal on the tongue already affects most of it, begins to move to the bones. Metastases can be both mobile and immobile. Localized to one area.
Depending on the stage, the oncologist surgeon decides which treatment to prescribe.
Forms of metastasis
Metastasis is divided into three forms.
- The first one is ulcerative. It causes ulcerations that bleed and have jagged edges.
- The second is papillary, has a seal located on the surface of the tongue. In addition, it can be observed along the edges of the tongue, on the back, the lower surface. The slowest form of tumor growth.
- The third - infiltrated, is characterized by the appearance of seals in the place where cancer develops, at the slightest touch, painful sensations are felt. The seal has no delineated boundaries, sticks out like a tubercle on the surface of the tongue. Ulcers are completely absent.
Benign growths
Rarely, but it still happens that a neoplasm in the tongue is not malignant. In this case it could be:
- Hemangioma. The disease can affect the cheeks, palate, lips, gums. The formation has a blue-purple or bluish color and increases with stress or during physical exertion. If such a tumorpress, she begins to turn pale. Treatment can be radiation, surgical or combined.
- Linguistic goiter. Occurs as a result of violation of embryogenesis. The tumor appears on the root of the tongue and reaches 1 cm in size. Increases gradually and grows very slowly. Has a smooth surface. Surgical treatment.
- Dermoids. Such formations are localized in the chin area, at the bottom of the mouth. Surgical removal easily relieves the disease.
- Retention cysts. May form on the tongue and cheeks in the form of blisters with thick contents.
Diagnosis
Successful treatment can ensure timely diagnosis. Particular attention should be paid to the condition of the mucous membrane of the tongue, oral cavity. If you find long-term healing ulcers, white or red spots, you should immediately go to the doctor. You can diagnose the disease already at the initial examination.
To get a complete picture of the course of the disease and the spread of education, it is necessary to undergo a cytological examination. It is handled by an oncology hospital and oncologists. Diagnostic methods such as magnetic resonance imaging, biopsy, and computed tomography are also used.
Treatment
Treatment can take place in two directions: the treatment of metastases or surgical, radiation exposure to a malignant formation. At the very first stages, radiation exposure to tongue cancer is successfully used. The prognosis is favorable - 60-85% of cases end in a complete cure. If acombine surgical and radiation intervention, then it is possible to cure 94% of patients.
Surgical treatment frightens patients, and the point is not in the operation, but in the fact that after the operation the quality of life of the operated patient worsens significantly. After resection of a part of the cheek, oral cavity, palate, jaw, tongue, there are problems with eating, speech activity. However, in some cases this is simply necessary, since the affected area can grow and this process can only be stopped by removing the problem area.
In addition to resection, the method of Banch, Crile or excision of the cervical tissue is used. In an inoperable case, or if there are multiple metastases and the patient refuses surgery, chemotherapy is used. She does not guarantee recovery. Successful treatment of the disease can extend the patient's life by five years or more, but it all depends on the stage of the disease, growth, the presence of metastases, the general he alth and age of the patient.
Prevention
The smartest thing is to prevent tongue cancer. Treatment in this case is not required. Prevention includes first of all a complete cessation of smoking. This applies to cigarettes, pipes, cigars, hookahs, drugs and intoxicants. It must be remembered that in addition to tongue cancer, this can provoke lung cancer and many other diseases. After that, you need to pay attention to the use of alcohol and try to reduce it to a minimum.
The fact that men are more likely than women to get tongue cancer is due precisely to the fact thatMen are more likely to smoke and drink alcohol. But recently, there has been a trend in the development of female smoking and alcoholism, because women are beginning to outstrip men in these deplorable statistics.
You can prevent the development of the disease by observing oral hygiene.
It is necessary to brush your teeth on time, in the morning, before going to bed and preferably after every meal. It is important not to forget to visit the dentist on time, because rotten and broken teeth cause injury to the delicate surface of the tongue and oral mucosa.
