Your treatment will depend on which type of mouth cancer you have, where it is and how far it’s spread. Your dentist will discuss your treatment options with you. If you smoke, they will suggest you stop smoking before you start any treatment. This is because smoking can affect how well the treatments work.
You will usually be offered surgery or radiotherapy first. Your dentist may also suggest other non- surgical treatments, such as chemotherapy and biological therapy.
The aim of surgery (including laser surgery) is to remove all of the cancer. Your surgeon may need to remove the lymph nodes in your neck too. The type of surgery you have will depend on how much the cancer has grown and spread. Your surgeon will explain to you what needs to be done, and can then give you more details about your aftercare and recovery.
If your surgeon removes a small tumour in your mouth, this may not cause you any lasting problems. But if you have a larger tumour, the surgery may change how you chew, swallow or talk, and your face may look different afterwards. You may need to have reconstructive or plastic surgery to rebuild the bones or tissues in your mouth. You might also need to have speech and swallowing therapy to help you speak and eat. You will have a dedicated team to help you through both your treatment and aftercare.
You may have radiotherapy instead of surgery, or after surgery to make sure all of the cancer cells have been destroyed.
If you have radiotherapy, a beam of radiation is directed at the cancerous cells. This can shrink or destroy the tumour. The radiation is targeted using computers and scans to try and reduce any damage to normal tissue around the cancer. Radiotherapy does have some side-effects, but these usually settle down a few days or weeks after your treatment has finished. You will be given information about these side-effects and how to manage them by the team treating you.
Radiotherapy doesn’t change how you look, eat or talk afterwards. But you may still notice some side- effects, such as a sore or dry mouth, or difficulty tasting foods. Your sense of taste will usually come back within a few months, but sometimes, tasting difficulties can be permanent. Losing your sense of taste can affect your appetite, but it’s important to eat a healthy, balanced diet so that you don’t lose weight. If some foods taste odd or have no flavour, there are some things you can do to improve this. Choose foods with strong flavours and add garlic, lemon juice, herbs and spices to your food. Your doctor can refer you to a dietitian who specialises in helping people who’ve been treated for head or neck cancer.
Get advice from your dietitian if you're worried about your weight or the foods you're able to eat.
You may be offered chemotherapy alongside radiotherapy. Chemotherapy is a treatment for cancer that uses medicines to destroy cancer cells. Side-effects of chemotherapy might include sickness, but this can usually be controlled with medicine. Also, chemotherapy can make you more susceptible to infections. The team treating you will tell you what to look out for and how to manage this.
Biological therapy changes how cancer cells grow and spread. Cetuximab is a type of monoclonal antibody given as an injection. It blocks areas on the surface of cancer cells that usually trigger growth. Your dentist or may recommend you have cetuximab with radiotherapy and chemotherapy. It has a few side-effects, such as skin rash.
Depending on the location and type, the first of side effects of oral cancer treatment often faced is that it damages healthy cells and tissues as well. These side effects also include dry mouth, tooth decay, sore or bleeding gums, infection, jaw stiffness, denture problems, changes in taste and smell, changes in voice & thyroid, change in tone of skin, fatigue, etc.
Depending on the location and type, the first of side effects of oral cancer treatment often faced is that it damages healthy cells and tissues as well. These side effects also include dry mouth, tooth decay, sore or bleeding gums, infection, jaw stiffness, denture problems, changes in taste and smell, changes in voice & thyroid, change in tone of skin, fatigue, etc.
Post surgery tissues in your face may swell. This swelling usually goes away within a few weeks. However, removing lymph nodes can result in swelling that lasts a long time. For a larger tumor, however, the surgeon may remove part of the palate, tongue, or jaw.
This surgery may change your ability to chew, swallow, or talk. Also, your face may look different after surgery. Reconstructive plastic surgery may be done to rebuild the bones or tissues of the mouth.
Reconstructive dentistry procedures may include bone grafts, fillings, crowns, bridges, and dental implants.
You may face weight loss after the oral cancer therapy. This can be taken care in advance by adopting the right intake of nutritional foods to build enough calories and protein to prevent weight loss, regain strength, and rebuild healthy tissues.
Eating well may be difficult after treatment for oral cancer. Some people with cancer find it hard to eat because they lose their appetite and taste.
Follow-up care after treatment for oral cancer is important. Even when the cancer seems to have been completely removed or destroyed, the disease sometimes returns because undetected cancer cells remained in the body after treatment. Checkups include exams of the mouth, throat, and neck. From time to time, your dentist may do a complete physical exam, order blood tests, and take x-rays. People who have had oral cancer have a chance of developing a new cancer in the mouth, throat, or other areas of the head and neck. A regular consult with dentist is must as advised.
