Plaque or cancer? Hidden symptoms of tongue cancer

Cancer of the tongue is an actual problem among smokers. This pathology is dangerous because in the first stages of the process there may be practically no symptoms, or there are nonspecific manifestations that are mistaken for other pathologies. Thus, tongue cancer is diagnosed in most cases in the last stages, when treatment is less effective. Cancer of the tongue in the clinical course has 3 successive stages: the initial stage, the stage of development and the advanced stage. Let us consider in more detail the symptoms of tongue cancer at all its stages.

Clinical manifestations and symptoms of tongue cancer in the initial stage

The initial stage often goes unnoticed by the patient, as it is accompanied by mild symptoms of tongue cancer. At this stage, papillary outgrowths or whitish spots may form on the surface of the tongue, which are often mistaken for plaque on the tongue. Local seals or redness may form. These pathological changes in the mucous membrane are localized on the lateral surface of the tongue. Submandibular lymph nodes are often enlarged.

Sometimes, in the initial stage of tongue cancer, there is a pain syndrome that does not have a specific localization. Pain in the tongue is often regarded as a manifestation of caries, pulpitis, glossitis, chronic tonsillitis or periodontitis.

Symptoms of developing tongue cancer

A variety of symptoms appear at the developmental stage. Characterized by the appearance of pain that radiates to the ear, temple and other areas of the oral cavity. The pain has different intensity and character.

Tumor necrosis products cause irritation of the oral mucosa, which is accompanied by increased salivation. At the same time, patients have a fetid odor from the mouth.

At this stage, numbness of parts of the tongue, difficulty in swallowing food, difficulty in articulating speech, and constant sore throat may occur. There may be symptoms of tongue cancer, such as bleeding, which are not associated with its injury.

Manifestations of the main forms of tongue cancer at the stage of development

There are three forms of the course of symptoms of cancer of the tongue – infiltrative, ulcerative and papillary. With the papillary form, a dense outgrowth forms on the tongue above the surface of the mucosa, which is closed by a plaque-like outgrowth. In half of the cases of tongue cancer, the ulcerative form occurs. It is characterized by the presence of surface erosion, which increases in size and is surrounded by a roller. This form of tongue cancer differs from all forms in its painlessness. Pain and bleeding appear as the ulcer grows. It is possible for the infection to attach to the ulcer on the tongue, which masks the clinical picture.

The infiltrative form of tongue cancer is characterized by the growth of the tumor into the thickness of the tongue, which is accompanied by its thickening. This leads to a violation of the mobility of the tongue and the difficulty of the process of eating and talking. How the last stage of tongue cancer is characterized, knows estet-portal.com. The advanced stage is characterized by a very aggressive course with rapid tumor growth. The process is accompanied by tissue breakdown and metastasis to the lymph nodes. Metastases are more common in the bones, liver, lungs and brain.

Diagnostics and treatment methods for identifying symptoms of tongue cancer

The asymptomatic course of tongue cancer makes its diagnosis difficult. During a preventive examination by a dentist or a gastroenterologist, it is important to pay more attention to the appearance of the tongue. If the changes described above are detected, the patient is referred for a consultation with an oncologist. An accurate diagnosis is established based on the data of a histological examination of a smear – imprint from the surface of a cancerous ulcer. Biopsy and histological examination of tissues are also carried out. In order to determine the depth of germination of cancer of the tongue, an ultrasound, x-ray of the skull, or CT scan of the facial skull is performed.

Metastasis is detected by a lymph node biopsy. Cancer of the tongue is differentiated from a hard chancre of primary syphilis, a tuberculous ulcer, leukoplakia, and benign neoplasms of the tongue.

For the treatment of cancer of the tongue, combination therapy is used, which consists of a combination of surgical, radiation and chemotherapy methods. With timely treatment of tongue cancer symptoms, a five-year survival rate is observed in 90% of patients.