Can oral ulcers turn into cancer? What should I do if I often have oral ulcers?

It is incomprehensible that a mouth ulcer turned into cancer in January. Why does a mouth ulcer turn into oral cancer? What are the early symptoms of oral cancer? Can oral ulcers, which occur frequently, turn into cancer? Ms. Chen (surname), 47, in Taizhou, Jiangsu Province, did not notice the mouth ulcer. A month later, it turned into oral cancer when she went to see a doctor. Recently, Ms. Chen underwent surgery in the hospital's oral department and was discharged last week. But next, she will undergo multiple radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Oral ulcers have not healed for a month

More than a month ago, Ms. Chen found an ulcer on the right side of her mouth. She thought she was angry because of a cold and didn't pay much attention to it. According to past experience, it would slowly get better even without taking medicine. However, this time it seemed a little different. A month later, the oral ulcer not only got better, but the pain became more severe. Ms. Chen had to go to the hospital's oral department for a check-up.

The doctor's words scared Ms. Chen. The ulcer had turned into oral cancer and she had to undergo surgery immediately.

The doctor then arranged for Ms. Chen to be hospitalized, undergo surgery to remove the tumor and clean the lymph nodes. The operation lasted more than 5 hours.

After pathological examination, Ms. Chen's oral tumor was diagnosed as "squamous cell carcinoma".

The Disaster of Tooth Decay

So, what was the cause of Ms. Chen's oral ulcers and cancer? The original cause was tooth decay.

It is understood that Ms. Chen has had tooth decay in her mouth for many years. At first, she had a cavity. Slowly, her crown disappeared. She was left with only the root and a little bit of residual tooth exposed. Because it didn't hurt or itch, she didn't pull it out. This residual tooth is the culprit of oral cancer.

"Since decayed teeth are very sharp, they can easily poke the oral mucosa when eating. Under this long-term stimulation, it is easy to cause cancer." The doctor who performed the operation on Ms. Chen said. Decayed teeth can not only cause cheek cancer, but also tongue cancer.

After more than a year of treatment for oral ulcers, I was diagnosed with oral cancer.

According to CCTV News, Mr. Wang, a 50-year-old man from Harbin, had been feeling oral discomfort for more than a year. When he rinsed his mouth, he found white spots on his tongue and thought he had oral ulcers.

After Mr. Wang took medicine to treat oral ulcers, the ulcers in his mouth became larger and larger, and there were lumps on his tongue. He was diagnosed with oral cancer.

Will people who often have oral ulcers develop cancer?

Don't worry about this. Doctors say that oral ulcers caused by colds or getting angry usually won't turn into cancer. This is because these ulcers usually heal on their own within 10 days, and they occur in different places each time, so they are not likely to turn into cancer. Only oral ulcers that are stimulated by foreign bodies and occur repeatedly in the same place for a long time are likely to turn into cancer.

What factors are likely to cause oral cancer?

Studies have shown that betel nut, tobacco, alcohol and particularly hot foods can all lead to oral cancer. In addition, improperly worn dentures are also an important cause of oral cancer.

Experts say that if you insist on regular oral examinations, oral cancer can be detected early without any symptoms.

4Beware of oral cancer

If the mouth turns white, brown or black, it means that the mucosal epithelial cells have changed. In particular, the oral mucosa becomes rough, thick or hardened, and oral mucosal leukoplakia and erythema may become cancerous.

1. Ulcers that do not heal

The course of oral ulcers generally does not exceed two weeks. If the burning sensation, pain and other symptoms do not improve after more than two weeks, you should be alert to the possibility of oral cancer. Because oral cancer usually appears in the form of ulcers, with raised edges around the edges, uneven centers, covered with necrotic tissue, and obvious pain.

2. Obvious pain

In the early stage, there is generally no pain or abnormal local friction. After ulceration, the pain is obvious. The tumor further invades the nerves and may cause ear and throat pain.

3. Swollen lymph nodes

Oral cancer mainly metastasizes to nearby cervical lymph nodes. Sometimes the primary lesion is very small and even the symptoms are not obvious, but the metastatic cancer cells are found in the cervical lymph nodes. Therefore, if the cervical lymph nodes suddenly swell, you need to check your oral cavity.

4. Dysfunction

The tumor can invade the mouth opening and closing muscles and the mandibular joint, resulting in limited mouth opening and closing movements.

It should be emphasized that although the above symptoms are common symptoms of oral cancer, they do not completely determine whether you have cancer. Because the above symptoms can also appear in oral inflammation, it is best to go to the hospital in time for an early diagnosis and symptomatic treatment.