Oral cancer is when cells in any part of the mouth become abnormal and begin to multiply at a quick and unstoppable rate. This can happen on the front or back of the tongue, inside or outside the lips, inside the cheeks, along the sinus cavities, at the back of the throat, on the hard palate, or on the soft palate. Any form of oral cancer can cause serious health problems because it blocks some of the body’s most important functions. The growth can inhibit breathing, swallowing, or the production of saliva that breaks down food so it can be properly digested.
Because this type of cancer occurs in several different types of tissue, treatments vary depending on what part of the mouth is cancerous. The causes of cancerous growths are also varied. Smoking cigars, cigarettes, or pipes can lead to cancer, as can chewing tobacco. Sometimes the cancer is linked to a genetic disposition toward cancerous growths, which cannot be predicted. The most common sign that cancer might be present is a sore or unusual growth that never goes away. If you notice a growth that continues to get bigger, or you experience sores that do not seem to heal, visit your doctor right away.
1. Ear Pain
Cancer in the sinus or nasal cavities can cause a growth that blocks the proper function of the ear, nose, and throat. An abnormal growth can create pressure in the sensitive passages between the ears and nose, which can cause a constant earache. Sometimes there is a ringing sound or a high-pitched whine that accompanies the pain. In some cases the pain is sharp, but usually it will be a dull throbbing pain that is consistent. Most earaches are due to congestion, an infection, or another typical irritation that has nothing to do with cancer.
These irritations should subside on their own after a day or two unless an infection is present. With an earache due to cancer, the pain does not or go away. In fact, it tends to intensify the longer the cancer is present. If your ear hurts for longer than a day you should visit your doctor to find out the cause. The cause could be as simple as a sinus infection or hay fever, which will be treated with antibiotics or a strong decongestant. If the pain persists after the initial treatment you should let your doctor know right away and ask to be screened for potential cancer.
2. Mouth Pain
Because oral cancer can happen to any part of the oral cavity it can sometimes grow under the gums or inside the jaw. These growths can lead to serious aching pain that radiates all along the jawline. If the cancer is growing on the soft or hard palate the pain will localize behind the upper teeth or move up into the bones of the face along the top of the mouth. There may not be any swelling or indication of an abnormal growth accompanying the pain, so if you experience a consistent throbbing along the jaw or upper mouth you should have it looked at by a doctor.
3. Ulcers
One of the more obvious signs of oral cancer is the formation of ulcerous sores on the surface of the tongue, cheeks, or gums. These are usually similar to cold sores and can be sensitive to touch. Sometimes it is difficult to eat any kinds of foods, sometimes the sores are only bothered by spicy or acidic foods. The difference between typical cold sores and cancerous ulcers is that the cancerous sores do not go away with any of the usual treatments you would use for a cold sore. Cancerous sores can also spread to different parts of the mouth, which is uncommon for cold sores. Any open sore that does not go away after a week or so should be checked by a doctor.
4. Bad Breath
Many of the symptoms of oral cancer can cause your breath to smell unusually bad. Ulcerous growths are the most likely to cause chronic bad breath. Your breath may taste bad to you as well, because your sense of taste is tied directly to your sense of smell. Typical causes of bad breath are transient based on many common causes. If the breath smells bad due to cancer, the bad breath will persist no matter what you do to try to help it. In some cases the bad breath is not due to the cancer directly, but is due to particles of food or bacteria that can get caught behind a cancerous growth and lead to a bad smell as they decay in the upper portion of the digestive tract rather than in the stomach or intestines.
5. Red and White Plaques
Another of the signs that cancer is spreading through the mouth or throat is the presence of red or white spots on the tongue, gums, or inside the cheeks. These spots, much like the ulcerous sores, remain and can multiply as the cancer grows. If the plaques are on the tongue there may be a disruption in the ability to taste food. Usually there is no pain associated with the red and white spots. These spots will persist along the gums or tongue regardless of how often teeth are brushed. Any unusual coloring of the surfaces in your mouth should be looked at by a dentist or a doctor to make sure they are not a sign of something serious.
6. Coughing
Throat cancer can cause a consistent cough. This is not a productive cough that you might experience with a head cold or allergies. This cough will be a dry cough. Usually coughing is one of the symptoms of something growing near the back of the tongue or further down the esophageal tract. You may feel like you need to clear your throat constantly and are unable to cough anything up or make a difference. As the growth increases it may feel like something is stuck in your throat and you need to cough or swallow to move it along. A cough that lasts longer than a week and does not seem to help should be looked at by a doctor.
7. Enlarged Neck Lymph Nodes
The lymph nodes are located on both sides of the neck just under the corner of the jawline. When oral cancer is present, these nodes can become noticeably swollen and tender. Pain while swallowing can be centered around these swollen lymph nodes and radiate down the sides of the neck or underneath the jaw. The nodes can swell for many different reasons, but all of the reasons are an indication of illness that should be treated by a doctor. It may be something as simple as an infection, or it may be a cancer that requires more serious treatment options.
