Tongue Cancer – Sanjog Singh/Cancer Care India

The cancerous growth that begins on the surface of the tongue or inside the muscles or matter of the tongue is what is known as tongue cancer. Since it is made of nerves and muscles that help in movement and various functions, the cancer of tongue affects the tongue movement and this affecting functions of speaking, eating, and swallowing.

The tongue has oral part and the tongue base Tongue base cancer is also known as oropharyngeal cancer  ,oral tongue cancer is visible to the patient ,but tongue base cancer is not easily visible ,it has other symptoms such as restricted mobility of tongue referred pain to the ear

The symptoms listed down here may occur when you are suffering tongue cancer:

● A red or white patch on the tongue which doesn’t subside and gradually increases in size

● A sore throat which won’t go away

● A sore (ulcer) on the tongue or a lump that doesn’t heal or increases in size

● Pain or difficulty in swallowing

● Falling or deviation of tongue on one side

● Pain or burning over the tongue

● You may have difficulty moving your tongue and speaking

● A lump in the neck

● Unexplained bleeding of the tongue that is not caused by biting or other injuries

● Pain in the ear (rare)

Causes of Tongue Cancer

● Tobacco use

● Alcohol use

● Teeth with jagged edges causing tongue bite

● Betelnut chewing ( supari ,pan ,chunna)

● Human papilloma virus 16 and 18

● You may also be at risk for tongue cancer if you have certain genes.

Men and those born male are more likely to develop tongue cancer than women or people born female. If you are 45 years old or older, and your immune system is weakened, then it’s more likely that you will develop the disease.

Usually, we classify tongue cancer using grades and stages as it is a measure of how far the cancer spreads. The doctors use the test results to determine the location and size of the cancer and if it has spread which is known as staging. Basically, this shows how cancer cells appear under a microscope and gives an indication of the speed at which it could develop.

The stage and grade of your cancer will help your doctor plan the best treatment as the TNM and the number staging system are most commonly used to stage tongue cancer.

Listed below are the three possible classifications for each stage:

● The size of the tumor is called T and a small tumor is T1 while a large one is T4.

● N indicates whether or not cancer has spread into neck lymph nodes, N0 indicates that the cancer has not spread, whereas N3 indicates the cancer spread.

● The M indicates whether there are additional growths (metastases) in other parts of the body.

The grade of cancer is a measure of how aggressive and likely the cancer is to spread. The types of tongue cancer include:

● Well differentiated (slow and unlikely to spread).

● moderate differentiated

● Poorly differentiated (very aggressive, likely to spread)

A medical specialist will usually detect tongue cancer first during a routine health check-up. To diagnose tongue cancer, the specialist will follow some tests, while also considering your medical history and symptoms. Listed below are the few test options that the doctor may follow for tongue cancer diagnosis:

Examining your mouth, neck, and throat is what amounts to a physical examination which is usually the first step of diagnosis to check for lumps on your tongue, and swollen nodes in your neck.

Next is the endoscopy procedure where a camera-equipped tube is passed through the nose to the throat to look for any tongue cancer signs. The test is also applied to determine if cancer has spread in other areas of the throat like the voicebox.

In this biopsy method, a sample of tongue cells is taken by cutting a small piece or  area using a thin needle inserted into the area of suspicion to collect cells. The collected samples are sent to a laboratory for testing as the results can determine if the cells are cancerous.

The doctors in certain cases suggest imaging tests where images of the body are captured to determine the location and size of cancer and these tests , MRI is the preferred choice of imaging test for tongue

Your medical specialist will plan up the treatment strategy based on the size and location of the tumor around the tongue area.

Surgery is the primary treatment of choice for tongue cancer .A surgeon will remove all or part of your tongue during glossectomy, depending on the size of the cancer. The surgeon will also remove healthy cells that surround your tongue, while also removing some tissue from the neck if it appears that the cancer has spread. You may require physical therapy or rehab after surgery if you have problems speaking or swallowing.

This type of surgery is used by doctors to replace part of the tongue  which have been removed as part of a cancer procedure. The plastic surgeon can use skin from the forearm , submental region , chest ,thighs to replace the excised part

Radiation Therapy:

Radiation is used as an adjuvantbtreatment after the surgery if the final pathology report warrants the requirement of it .The treatment involves the use of high energy photons or protons to direct energy beams at cancer cells in specific areas on your body.

Chemotherapy involves use of drugs or injections either in the beginning of the treatment before the surgery which is called Neo adjuvant chemotherapy or along with radiation which is called concomitant chemotherapy to potentiate the effect of radiation and have systemic effect on the cancer

The doctors use targeted therapy to kill cancer cells when attacked by specific chemicals and also to treat cancerous tumors that have returned or spread.

Your doctor may suggest immunotherapy if other treatments don’t work. It helps your immune system find and destroy cancer cells.

Mentioned down below are some prevention tips that you can reduce the chances of getting tongue cancer:

Do not use tobacco: Don’t start smoking if you already do then consult your doctor about ways you can quit tobacco.

Limit alcohol intake: If you drink alcohol, consider taking it in a moderate quantity and if possible avoid it.Another preventive measure is the HP

Consider the HPV vaccine: V Infection that can reduce your risk related to HPV cancers, including tongue cancer. You should ask your doctor if an HPV vaccination is right for you.

Take regular dental and health examinations: Your dentist, doctor, or another member of your healthcare team can examine your mouth to check for cancerous and precancerous changes.

Early detection of cancer increases the chances that treatment will be successful, however, some types can be difficult to detect. You might not initially experience any symptoms if cancer grows at the base of your tongue. But, if you notice an abnormal growth anywhere on your body, even the tongue, consult Dr.Sanjog Singh at Cancer Care India immediately. Make an appointment today if you witness some strange symptoms, such as difficulty swallowing, throat discomfort, or a lump on your neck.