The most valuable auxiliary examination for tongue cancer

What is the most valuable auxiliary examination for tongue cancer? Although each type of cancer is more harmful than the others, cancer in the mouth is probably the most terrible because this type of cancer has the greatest impact on our lives. For example, if you suffer from tongue cancer, you need to undergo surgery to remove it. Severe patients may even lose their entire tongue. The consequences can be imagined. Therefore, prevention of tongue cancer is better than treatment. If possible, please discover the presence of tongue cancer as early as possible.

Tongue cancer is the most common oral cancer, and it is more common in men than in women. Most tongue cancers are squamous cell carcinomas, especially in the front 2/3 of the tongue. Adenocarcinomas are less common and are mostly located at the root of the tongue. Lymphoepithelial carcinoma and undifferentiated carcinoma may also occur at the root of the tongue. Tongue cancer mostly occurs at the edge of the tongue, followed by the tip, back and root of the tongue, and is often ulcerative or infiltrative. It is generally highly malignant, grows fast, and is highly invasive. It often affects the tongue muscles, resulting in limited tongue movement, making it difficult to speak, eat and swallow. Tongue cancer can invade the palatoglossal arch and tonsils posteriorly. In the late stage, tongue cancer can spread to the floor of the mouth and the jawbone, fixing the entire tongue.

How to check for tongue cancer

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.