Tongue cancer symptoms include abnormal patches, lumps, and difficulty swallowing. Early diagnosis is crucial for treatment, which may include surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy. Biopsy and further tests are done to confirm the diagnosis and check for spread.
Tongue cancer is a type of skin cancer that appears in part of the tongue. Without early treatment, cancer can spread to other parts of the body, creating a potential medical crisis. Symptoms of tongue cancer can include abnormally colored patches of skin on the tongue, a lump or sore that doesn’t go away, or difficulty swallowing. Treatment for this condition may include surgery to remove cancerous cells, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy.
Early symptoms of tongue cancer often include small white spots on the tongue. In some cases, red spots or a mixture of red and white spots may appear. A lump or sore that may or may not hurt is another potential symptom. The tongue may start bleeding for no apparent reason, or chewing and swallowing may become difficult or painful. Many cases of tongue cancer are diagnosed during a routine visit to the dentist, especially if no pain or other bothersome symptoms are present.
Other medical conditions, including infection, often cause symptoms similar to those of tongue cancer. For this reason, any bothersome symptoms should be reported to your doctor or dentist so that a full evaluation can be performed. When caught early, tongue cancer can be easily treated in most cases before it has a chance to spread to other parts of the body. If cancer is suspected, a procedure known as a biopsy may be done by removing a small piece of suspicious tissue and sending it to a laboratory to be tested for the presence of cancer cells.
If the suspected diagnosis of tongue cancer is confirmed, treatment usually begins immediately. In many cases, minor surgery is sufficient to remove the cancerous portion of the tongue. Further tests will need to be done after the procedure to make sure the cancer hasn’t moved to other areas of the body. Reconstructive surgery or cosmetic surgery may be performed following this procedure, depending on the amount of tissue removed during cancer surgery.
In some cases, chemotherapy or radiation therapy is needed to treat tongue cancer. Chemotherapy involves introducing various chemicals into the body in an attempt to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy uses high levels of energy to shrink tumors and kill cancerous cells. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are often used together to treat cancer patients.
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