What is the current situation of tongue cancer

What is the current situation of tongue cancer? Many people in life do not know about tongue cancer. In fact, tongue cancer is not uncommon in clinical practice. It is one of the most common oral cancers. The disease is highly malignant, and because the tongue has abundant lymphatic vessels and blood circulation, the chance of metastasis is very high. Now let's understand the current situation of tongue cancer.

Tongue cancer is a common malignant tumor in the oral and maxillofacial region, which affects males more than females. Once it occurs, it will not only have a great impact on the patient's daily life, but in severe cases it will also pose a threat to the patient's life. Although tongue cancer is a lesion occurring in the tongue, it is a local manifestation of a systemic disease. Early diagnosis and early treatment are the golden rules for treating the disease.

To date, the cause of tongue cancer has not been clearly discussed. Most people believe that its occurrence is related to environmental factors. For example, heat, chronic injuries, ultraviolet rays, X-rays and other radioactive substances can all become carcinogenic factors. For example, tongue and buccal mucosal cancer can occur in areas that are subject to long-term and frequent stimulation such as residual roots, sharp tooth tips, and poor restorations.

In addition, neuropsychiatric factors, endocrine factors, the body's immune status and genetic factors have also been found to be related to the occurrence of tongue cancer. It can be said that the occurrence of tongue cancer is the result of the interaction of multiple internal and external factors. Although tongue cancer is fatal, it is not incurable. When the disease is diagnosed, no matter what stage the disease progresses to, do not give up treatment. Only by insisting on treatment can the disease be suppressed.

Before tongue cancer occurs, there is usually a precancerous lesion stage, such as oral leukoplakia, traumatic ulcers, papilloma, etc. Because the tongue has abundant lymphatic vessels and blood circulation, and the tongue has frequent mechanical movements, tongue cancer metastasizes earlier and has a higher chance of metastasis. Tongue cancer on the back of the tongue or across the midline of the tongue can metastasize to the contralateral cervical lymph nodes, and cancer in the front of the tongue often metastasizes to the upper and middle groups of the submandibular and deep cervical lymph nodes.

Surgery is the main treatment for tongue cancer. For T1 cases, wedge-shaped resection more than 1 cm away from the lesion can be performed and sutured directly; for T2-T4 cases, hemiglossectomy or even total glossectomy should be performed. As an important organ for mastication and speech, reconstruction should be performed when more than 1/2 of the tongue is missing. Chemotherapy can be used before or after surgery, but because of its serious side effects, it should be used under the guidance of a physician and with close observation of blood counts.