Base Of Tongue Cancer Symptoms

Cancer on the tongue or tongue cancer is a malignant swelling of the tongue. Tongue cancer can occur on the mobile part of the tongue, ie the tongue tip, tongue edge, tongue back and tongue root. Cancer of the tongue base falls under the throat cancer (orofarynx cancer ). The most common form of tongue cancer is squamous cell carcinoma. That is, the tumor starts in the cell layer lying on the surface: the mucous membrane that is made up of squamous cells. In almost all cases there is a squamous cell carcinoma in tongue cancer. The carcinoma can grow into the muscles of the tongue, the tongue base, the mouth and the lower jaw. In more than half of the cases, salivation occurs through the lymph nodes .

Tongue cancer causes
The exact causes of most forms of head cancer are not known, but some risk factors have already been identified. Thus smoking and drinking of alcohol are important risk factors, as well as chronic irritation by inflammation. Possible oral hygiene or poor fit denture or prosthesis may also play a role in tongue cancer.

Who does Tongue Cancer come from?
Tongue cancer occurs mainly in people over 40 years. Twice as many men as women get tongue cancer. People who (smoky) smokers are more likely to get cancer and the risk is even greater when smoking is combined with heavy alcohol consumption. Additionally, people with poorly treated teeth are at greater risk of developing cancers.

Tongue cancer symptoms
The complaints that people with cancers often have are different. The most common base of tongue cancer symptoms are:

• A palpable swelling, wound or ulcer (which does not heal);
• Pain on the tongue at the site of the wound and occasionally painful pain to the ear, neck or jaw ;
• A swelling in the neck (of a gland);
• Red or white discoloration of the mucous membrane on the tongue;
• Difficulty or pain in swallowing or chewing;
• Bad breath.

The preferred location of tongue anchor is the side edge of the mobile tongue; Tongue carcinomas are very rare.

Tongue cancer treatment
How is tongue cancer treated? In small or medium-sized tumors, the treatment consists of a limited operation under general anesthesia, removing the tumor. In the event of lymph node outbreaks, pancreatic dissection occurs, removing lymph nodes, with the surrounding fat tissue, from the neck. You may also need to be irradiated after surgery (radiotherapy), sometimes combined with chemotherapy.

Operation with reconstruction
In large but operable tongue tumors, the treatment consists of a more extensive operation that reconstructs the operating area immediately. In addition, pancreatic dissection occurs and it may be necessary to be irradiated after surgery, sometimes in combination with chemotherapy.

Combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy
Sometimes the tumor is not operable or it may be that an operation with too much loss of function, although healing is possible. In that case, a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy is proposed.

Palliative treatment
If healing of tongue cancer is no longer possible because the tumor is too extensive or because there are sores present in the rest of the body, palliative treatment will be given. This treatment is aimed at eliminating possible pain and other inconvenience. Among other things, this is done by reducing the tumor as much as possible and avoiding growth as long as possible.