lip cancer

Lip Cancer: Potential Complications And Its Prevention

Published 2022-05-24 | By editor

Lip cancer is a type of oral cancer which develops in thin and flat cells that line the lips, mouth, tongue, cheeks, sinuses, throat, hard and soft palates.

Although lip cancer is highly curable when diagnosed early, people previously with lip cancer have an increased chance of developing a second cancer in the head, neck, or mouth. Moreover, there are many potential complications of lip cancer.

What are potential complications?

Cancer Spread. A lip tumor can spread to other areas of the mouth and tongue as well as distant parts of the body if left untreated. It becomes much more difficult to cure if the cancer spreads.
Functional and cosmetic consequences. People may experience trouble with speech, chewing, and swallowing after the surgery to remove large tumors on their lips.
Disfigurement of the lip and face due to surgery. This may be the problem caused after surgery. Reconstructive or cosmetic surgeons can rebuild the bones and tissues of the face.
Other side effects of chemotherapy and radiation. They include hair loss, weakness and fatigue, poor appetite, nausea, vomiting, numbness in the hands and feet, severe anemia, weight loss, dry skin, sore throat, change in taste, infection, and oral mucositis, etc.

Prevention is better than cure. Hence, it’s important to know what your risk factors are in order to prevent it or detect it early on if you do develop symptoms.

What are the symptoms of lip cancer?

Signs and symptoms of lip cancer include:

a sore, lesion, blister, ulcer, or lump on the mouth that doesn’t go away
a red or white patch on the lip
bleeding or pain on the lips
swelling of the jaw

However, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have lip cancer if you have a sore or lump on your lips. Discuss any symptoms with your ENT doctor.

Who’s more likely to have lip cancer?

Your behaviors and lifestyle heavily influence your risk for lip cancer. There are some risk factors that may increase your risk for lip cancer. They include:

tobacco use
heavy alcohol use
prolonged exposure to direct sunlight
having light-colored skin
being male
having human papillomavirus (HPV)
being older than 40 years of age

Prevention of lip cancer

You can reduce your risk of lip cancer by avoiding activities leading to lip cancer, and by taking care of your mouth. They include:

avoid using tobacco
avoid drinking excessive alcohol
limit exposure to both natural and artificial sunlight
get a full course of the HPV vaccine
see your dentist regularly

Did you find the information useful? If so, continue reading our posts.

For details of our ENT services, diagnosis, and treatment, please consult our ENT specialist.

Source:

HK ENT Specialist Ltd.

Hong Kong based ENT clinic centre

For ENT Services, Audiology & Speech Therapy,

Sleep Disordered Breathing Management,

Hearing Aid Prescription & Medical Cosmetic Services

https://www.hkentspecialist.hk

Lip Cancer: Diagnosis And Treatments

Published 2022-05-10 | By editor

Lip cancer is a type of head and neck cancer that develops from abnormal cells to form lesions or tumors on the lips. Some studies show that lip cancer is linked to the use of tobacco and heavy alcohol. People working outdoors are also more likely to have lip cancer.

As the lips are prominent and visible, lesions can be seen and felt easily. This allows for early diagnosis. Hence, the chance of survival after treatment is greater than 90%. This article will discuss the diagnosis and treatment of lip cancer.

Diagnosis of Lip Cancer

As early diagnosis is important, consult your ENT doctor as soon as possible if you have signs or symptoms. The doctor will perform a physical examination of your lips and other parts of your mouth to identify the abnormal areas and possible causes.

Then, the doctor will take a medical history and ask specific questions about your:

health history
smoking and alcohol history
past illnesses
medical and dental treatments
family history of disease
any medications you are using

If lip cancer is suspected, it requires a biopsy and a small sample of tissue that is removed from a tumor to diagnose cancer. Then, a pathologist will examine the cells under a microscope. If the biopsy results confirm that you have lip cancer, several tests are used to aid in the diagnosis to determine how far the cancer has progressed, or if it’s spread to other parts of the body.

Tests may include:

CT scan
MRI scan
PET scan
chest X-ray
complete blood count (CBC)
endoscopy

Treatment of lip cancer

Surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy are some of the treatments available for lip cancer. Other possible options include targeted therapy and investigative treatments, such as immunotherapy and gene therapy.

As with other cancers, treatment depends on the stage of the cancer, how far it’s progressed and your general health. If the tumor is small, surgery will be performed to remove it. This involves removal of all tissue involved with the cancer, plus reconstruction of the lip (cosmetically and functionally).

If the tumor is larger or at a later stage, radiation and chemotherapy may be used to shrink the tumor before or after surgery to lower the risk of recurrence. Chemotherapy treatments deliver drugs throughout the body and reduce the risk of the cancer spreading or returning.