Treatment for tongue cancer is based on the principle that the fetus is a separate population. This means that treatment for tongue cancer during pregnancy should be considered special and tailored to the needs of the mother. Women who are pregnant also face special management because of their inalienable right to motherhood. Evidence-based medicine, however, requires that the therapeutic goal be objective. For women with metastatic tongue cancer, this goal is to extend survival, reduce the symptomatic effects of the disease, and maintain or improve quality of life.
The most common type of tongue cancer is squamous cell carcinoma. These cells are thin and flat and cover the surface of the tongue and other parts of the mouth and throat. Cancers that originate in this area are called oropharyngeal cancers, pronounced or-far-ngee-al. Cancer that occurs in the mouth or throat is usually squamous cell carcinoma, named after the type of tissue from which it arises.
In stage 1, a small tumor that is not growing, and has not spread to other structures of the mouth, is called a benign lesions. The tumor will increase in size to 2cm or fourcm, and cancer cells will have not spread to nearby lymph nodes. However, if the cancer is large and has spread to nearby structures, the patient may need to undergo surgery to remove the entire tumor. In this case, minimally invasive surgical techniques are used.
For larger tongue tumors, more complex surgery may be necessary. During this procedure, part of the tongue is removed. Afterwards, the tongue is rebuilt. The surgeon may remove lymph nodes from the neck to reduce the risk of the cancer spreading. Treatment with chemotherapy or radiation may also be necessary. But this surgery should be considered only if the disease has spread beyond the mouth and reached other parts of the body. This can also be a life-saving procedure for a cancer patient.
Most tongue cancer cases start as a painful sore or ulcer. The first symptoms include a lump on the side of the tongue that touches teeth. The lump may be red or gray and bleed easily when touched or bitten. Symptoms may be difficult to detect in the early stages, so a biopsy should be performed by a medical professional. Further tests may reveal that a tumor has spread to other parts of the mouth. For those with a lump or ulcer in the mouth, a biopsy may be necessary.
In some cases, tongue cancer is treatable through radiation therapy, which involves the destruction of cancerous tissues. The goal of radiation therapy is to destroy the cancer cells, while preserving the healthy tissue surrounding it. Chemotherapy may also be a treatment for tongue cancer, particularly if it has spread to nearby lymph nodes. The drugs used to treat tongue cancer are often combined to target different stages of the cancer cell’s growth cycle. In this way, the cancer may not develop resistance to chemotherapy. Another option is targeted drug therapy, which interferes with the growth of cancer cells on a molecular level.
