How to check tongue cancer in the elderly

How to check tongue cancer in the elderly? Although the area of ​​tongue cancer is not large, the impact is systemic. For patients with tongue cancer, there is a risk of losing the ability to speak. So if you find that you have some symptoms similar to tongue cancer, you should go to the hospital for examination as soon as possible. So how to check tongue cancer in the elderly?

Tongue cancer has a short course and develops quickly. In the early stage, a small hard lump can be seen on the tongue, shaped like a bean, which gradually forms a noticeable swelling, and a small ulcer with a slightly raised edge appears in the center of the lump. It is hard and painless at first, or grows like a fungus, with a large head and a small stalk. Pain and erosion may occur, which is more severe in the morning and evening. The lesion gradually spreads to the deep and surrounding tissues. When combined with infection, it causes more severe pain, which can radiate to the face and ear on the same side.

The disease is highly invasive. Cancer can extensively affect the tongue muscles, restricting the movement of the tongue, affecting speaking, eating and swallowing, and causing a lot of drooling with a foul odor. When the floor of the mouth is invaded or the entire tongue is involved beyond the midline, the tongue is in a completely fixed state, causing difficulty in opening the mouth to swallow. Cancer ulcers can bleed and can invade the gums, and even cause swollen and hard ulcers in the neck and jaw. Invasion of the jaw floor and jawbone can penetrate the tongue and cheeks, causing soup to flow out. In the late stage, tissue necrosis, bleeding, nutritional disorders and aspiration pneumonia are often complicated. About 2/3 of patients with this disease have cervical lymphadenopathy. The most common site of metastatic lymph nodes is under the digastric muscle, followed by the submandibular. As the disease progresses, the number of metastatic lymph nodes increases and can spread to the ipsilateral clavicle and the contralateral neck. Hematogenous metastasis may occur in the late stage.

1. Pathological examination

For tongue nodules, erosions or ulcers, especially those on the lateral edge of the tongue, if there is no improvement or continues to grow after 2 to 3 weeks of treatment, this disease should be considered and a biopsy is required to confirm the diagnosis. The sample should be taken from the edge of the tumor and include some normal tissue. If the sample is shallow, cancerous tissue is often not found.

2. Cervical Lymph Node Biopsy

This disease often metastasizes to the cervical lymph nodes, especially under the digastric muscle and submandibular. The neck should be carefully examined and a cervical lymph node biopsy should be performed when necessary, which is of certain significance in the diagnosis and staging of the disease.