Smoking increases the risk of oral cancer by 5-6 times

Having smoked since he was 20 years old, for over 40 years, Mr. TVH (67 years old, Binh Thuan ) has smoked 10 cigarettes a day. During times of stress, he can smoke up to 15-20 cigarettes a day. A year before being hospitalized, his left cheek had a lump, hard and rough like a stone. Six months later, the lump gradually increased in size, and his left cheek ached. He thought it was a toothache, but when he went to the dentist, nothing unusual was found. Three months later, ulcers appeared on the lump, and his mouth hurt. He went to the store to buy some orange medicine. It was not until his illness became more and more severe that Mr. H went to the hospital. He was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, keratinization, stage 3, invading the mucosa of his left cheek.

The doctor is operating on the patient.

MSc.BSCKII Doan Minh Trong, Head and Neck Unit, Tam Anh General Hospital , Ho Chi Minh City, said that oral cancer is a condition in which the oral cavity forms malignant lesions in locations such as the tongue, mucosa, gums, floor of the mouth, septum between the nasal cavity and the oral cavity, and lips. In Southeast Asia, there are more than 180,000 cases of oral cancer each year, about 90% due to smoking habits. The disease occurs mainly in men over 50 years old.

The cause of oral cancer is still unknown, but there are some factors that increase the risk of the disease such as smoking, drinking alcohol, infection with human papillomavirus (HPV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), family members with oral cancer... Poor oral hygiene or gum disease also increases the possibility of developing malignant tumors in the mouth. Exposure to secondhand smoke, especially over a long period of time, can lead to oral cancer.

Smokers are 5-6 times more likely to develop oral cancer than non-smokers. The longer you smoke, the higher your risk of oral cancer. Smokers and drinkers are 30 times more likely to develop oral cancer than non-smokers or non-drinkers.

As in Mr. H.’s case, smoking a lot of cigarettes is one of the risk factors for this disease. Doctor Trong said that cigarettes contain more than 60 toxic substances: formaldehyde, arsenic, radioactive substances, hydrogen cyanide, benzene, etc. These substances weaken the immune system and can cause DNA (gene) mutations leading to cancer. Cells in the mouth with damaged DNA can lead to cancer in this area.

According to the World Cancer Organization, in 2022 there were 389,846 new cases of oral cancer and 188,438 deaths from this disease, a mortality rate of nearly 50%. Patients may develop ulcers that are easily confused with canker sores. Meanwhile, canker sores are often concave in the middle, white or gray in color, with red or pink edges, painful but benign, usually healing within two weeks.

Or a lump in the neck, bleeding from the mouth, loose teeth, swelling or pain in the lips that does not heal, difficulty swallowing, changes in voice, unexplained weight loss... can also be caused by oral cancer. Because the symptoms of oral cancer are often unclear, patients often discover the cancer when it is in a late stage.

Dr. Trong recommends that when the mouth area shows signs of tumors, red or white patches, ulcers that do not heal after 1-2 weeks, swollen jaw, prolonged mouth pain, difficulty swallowing or chewing, etc., you should see a specialist for diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

The doctor also said that treatment for oral cancer depends on the type of cancer, location and extent of spread. The common treatment method is surgical removal of the tumor. The extent of surgery may depend on the size of the tumor and the extent of the cancer. The doctor may remove surrounding tissue and nearby lymph nodes. After surgery, depending on the condition of the disease, the doctor may prescribe chemotherapy or radiation therapy to prevent recurrence, metastasis or prevent the disease from developing.

Source: https://cand.com.vn/y-te/hut-thuoc-la-co-nguy-co-mac-ung-thu-mieng-cao-gap-5–6-lan-i745959/