Posted on 25th March, 2023 at 7:16:23 PM
A type of mouth cancer or oral cancer that usually develops in the squamous cells on the surface of the tongue is known as tongue cancer. There can be tumors or lesions due to it. A sore on the tongue that does not heal and a painful tongue are the most noticeable signs of tongue cancer. There are two areas of the tongue where cancer can develop. Cancer at the front of the tongue is called tongue cancer whereas oropharyngeal cancer is cancer that develops at the back of the tongue.
Symptoms
According to cancer doctors in Kolkata, squamous cell carcinoma is the most common type of tongue cancer. The thin and flat cells present on the surface of the skin and the tongue and in the lining of the digestive and respiratory tracts are called squamous cells. They are also present in the lining of the mouth, throat, thyroid, and larynx. The symptoms are:
There are different risk factors for tongue cancer. Some of them are:
The risk of this type of cancer is more in older men.
Treatment
The best surgical oncologist in Kolkata performs surgery to remove the cancerous tissue. Depending on the size of the tumor tongue is resected which is known as glossectomy, partial, hemi, or total glossectomy depending on the amount of tongue tissue resected encompassing the tumor. The resultant defect can be reconstructed by primary closure or free flaps. Surgery is not limited to the reaction of the tongue, the draining lymph nodes in the neck have to be addressed. Depending on the final histopathology report adjuvant therapy is advised i.e. radiation or concurrent chemoradiation. In the majority, upfront surgery provides the best line of treatment.