What are the key points in diagnosing tongue cancer?

What are the key points in diagnosing tongue cancer? Although modern medical technology is becoming more and more advanced, and there are treatments for many difficult and complicated diseases, the incidence of various diseases is also rising due to factors such as our living environment and diet. More people are troubled by diseases, and rare diseases such as tongue cancer are also increasing. So what are the key points in diagnosing tongue cancer?

Key points for diagnosis of tongue cancer

(—) Clinical manifestations

The early symptoms of tongue cancer are often not obvious. The initial onset may be painless, with slightly raised or unbroken nodules, which are often not noticed by people.

1. Local symptoms: Initially, the disease presents as plaques of local tissue thickening, small mucosal nodules, or erosions, or fissures, which gradually form nodules and lumps. Ulcers with slightly raised edges may appear in the center of the lumps, which are slightly painful or without any conscious symptoms. The most common site of disease is the side edge of the middle 1/3 of the tongue, accounting for about 90%; followed by the root of the tongue, the belly of the tongue, and the back of the tongue, and the least common is the tip of the tongue.

2. Pain and movement disorders. The lesions infiltrate deep into the surrounding tissues and ulcerate, which may cause severe pain, bad breath, drooling, and tongue movement disorders, affecting speech and swallowing. When the cancer involves the floor of the mouth and the entire tongue, the tongue is completely fixed and it is difficult to open the mouth.

3. Secondary infection. In the late stage, it is often complicated by infection, tissue necrosis, bleeding, nutritional disorders and aspiration pneumonia.

4. Lymph node metastasis: about 1/3 of tongue cancer patients have cervical lymph node metastasis.

2. Laboratory examination

1. Biopsy: Scrape, bite or cut the suspected lesions on the tongue for biopsy. It is advisable to clamp the edge of the tumor including some healthy tissue, so the positive rate is higher.

2. Lymph node biopsy: Lymph node metastasis occurs early in this disease, especially in the cervical, submandibular and digastric lymph nodes. For patients with swollen cervical lymph nodes, lymph node biopsy should be performed if necessary.