What is tongue cancer?

Tongue cancer may be very unfamiliar to many people, and they may not even know that the tongue, which we chew with every day, can actually develop cancer. So everyone may want to know what causes tongue cancer? Is it the bacteria in our daily diet? So what we are going to understand today is what tongue cancer is.

Tongue cancer is a common malignant tumor in the oral and maxillofacial region, which occurs more frequently in males than in females. Most cases are squamous cell carcinomas, especially in the anterior 2/3 of the tongue. Adenocarcinomas are relatively rare and are mostly located at the root of the tongue. Lymphoepithelial carcinoma and undifferentiated carcinoma may also occur at the root of the tongue.

The cause of tongue cancer has not yet been fully understood. Most people believe that its occurrence is related to environmental factors, such as heat, chronic injury, ultraviolet rays, X-rays and other radioactive substances, which can all become carcinogenic factors. For example, tongue and cheek mucosal cancer can occur in areas of 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 all been found to be related to the occurrence of tongue cancer.

Symptoms of tongue cancer are as follows: 1. Tumors mostly occur at the edge of the tongue, followed by the tip, back and belly of the tongue. There may be a history of local leukoplakia or chronic irritation. 2. It is often ulcerative or infiltrative, grows fast, is painful and highly infiltrative. 3. There may be limited tongue movement, difficulty eating and swallowing. 4. Cervical lymph node metastasis often occurs in the early stage.

Treatment of tongue cancer: Comprehensive treatment with surgery as the main approach. Generally, primary lesion resection and neck lymph node dissection should be performed, with radiotherapy or chemotherapy before or after surgery.

Prevention of tongue cancer: reduce external stimulation factors, actively treat precancerous lesions, and improve the body's disease resistance.