Mucosal cancer of the mouth

Cancer of the oral mucosa. This group includes malignant tumors arising in the tongue, the mucous membrane of the cheek, the bottom of the oral cavity, the alveolar margins of the lower and upper jaw, in the hard and soft palate, the front palatine arches. The most frequent histological variant of a malignant tumor is the squamous cell-keratinizing cancer. Tumors of this zone are more common in men. Pre-tumor processes - Bowem's disease, verruzic leukoplakia, papillomatosis, the consequences of lupus erythematosus.

Clinical picture. The first clinical manifestations are painless nodules, surface erosions and cracks, gradually increasing. Then there is pain with irradiation in the ear, salivation, bleeding, bad breath. Cancer of the mucous membrane of the posterior half of the oral cavity proceeds more malignantly, infiltrating neighboring organs and tissues faster.

Tumors can have exophytic (ulcers with a tumor roller along the edges or mushroom-like growths) or endophytic form (infiltrates whose boundaries are difficult to determine).

Cancer of the oral mucosa widely metastasizes to the superficial and deep lymph nodes of the neck. Remote metastases occur in 1-5% of cases. Treatment is divided into two stages: the effect on the primary tumor and the treatment of regional metastases.

Treatment combined. Initially, preoperative gamma-therapy is performed followed by removal of the primary tumor by fascial-frontal excision of the fatty tissue of the neck. In generalized forms of the disease, it is possible to use chemotherapy drugs (cisplatin, fluorouracil, methotrexate, bleomycin).