Condition Lookup
Category:
Oral Cancer and Precancerous Conditions
Number of Conditions: 6
Squamous Cell Carcinoma (Oral Cavity)
Specialty: Dental and Oral Health
Category: Oral Cancer and Precancerous Conditions
Sub-category: Oral Cancer
Symptoms:
persistent oral sore; white or red patches in the mouth; difficulty swallowing; lump in the neck; ear pain
Root Cause:
Malignant proliferation of squamous cells in the mucosal lining of the mouth or throat.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Biopsy of the lesion, imaging (CT or MRI), and endoscopy.
Treatment:
Surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy (or combinations).
Medications:
Cisplatin (chemotherapy), targeted therapies like cetuximab (EGFR inhibitor), and immunotherapies like pembrolizumab (PD-1 inhibitor).
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Accounts for 90% of all oral cancers; more common in men over 50.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Tobacco use, heavy alcohol consumption, HPV infection, and poor oral hygiene.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Varies with stage; early detection leads to a high survival rate.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Local invasion, metastasis, and difficulty speaking or eating.
Verrucous Carcinoma (a rare variant of squamous cell carcinoma)
Specialty: Dental and Oral Health
Category: Oral Cancer and Precancerous Conditions
Sub-category: Oral Cancer
Symptoms:
slow-growing, thick, wart-like oral lesion; white or pink patches; painless in early stages; may ulcerate or bleed over time
Root Cause:
A well-differentiated, low-grade malignant tumor originating from the squamous epithelium, often associated with chronic irritation or tobacco use.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Biopsy of the lesion with histopathological analysis to differentiate from invasive squamous cell carcinoma.
Treatment:
Surgical excision (primary treatment), occasionally followed by radiation therapy; chemotherapy is less effective.
Medications:
None specifically indicated; supportive care for symptoms after surgery.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare, accounting for 1-10% of all oral squamous cell carcinomas.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Tobacco use (smoking and chewing), chronic irritation (e.g., poorly fitting dentures), and HPV infection.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Generally good with complete surgical removal; recurrence is possible if not adequately treated.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Local invasion, recurrence, and progression to more aggressive cancer types.
Lymphoma (affecting oral tissues)
Specialty: Dental and Oral Health
Category: Oral Cancer and Precancerous Conditions
Sub-category: Oral Cancer
Symptoms:
painless swelling in the oral cavity; ulceration or mass in the gums, palate, or tonsils; difficulty swallowing; weight loss; night sweats
Root Cause:
Malignancy of lymphatic cells; may be non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) or, less commonly, Hodgkin lymphoma.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Biopsy of the lesion, immunohistochemical analysis, and imaging (CT, PET scan) for staging.
Treatment:
Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or targeted therapy depending on the type and stage.
Medications:
Rituximab (anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody for NHL). CHOP regimen (cyclophosphamide , doxorubicin , vincristine , prednisone ). Brentuximab vedotin (for specific subtypes of lymphoma).
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Accounts for less than 5% of all oral cancers; more common in individuals with immunosuppression.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
HIV/AIDS, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, immunosuppressive therapy, and autoimmune diseases.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Variable depending on subtype and stage; low-grade lymphomas may have prolonged survival with treatment.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Spread to lymph nodes or distant organs, systemic symptoms, and treatment-related toxicity.
Oral Leukoplakia
Specialty: Dental and Oral Health
Category: Oral Cancer and Precancerous Conditions
Sub-category: Precancerous Conditions
Symptoms:
white patches or plaques on the oral mucosa that cannot be scraped off; painless lesions; occasional rough texture; possible sensitivity to spicy or acidic foods
Root Cause:
Abnormal growth of cells in the oral mucosa, often associated with tobacco use, alcohol consumption, or chronic irritation.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical examination, biopsy to rule out dysplasia or malignancy.
Treatment:
Removal of risk factors (e.g., cessation of tobacco and alcohol), surgical excision, cryotherapy, or laser ablation for persistent lesions.
Medications:
Topical retinoids (e.g., tretinoin or isotretinoin ) may be prescribed to prevent progression; antifungals may be used if secondary candida infection is present.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Approximately 1-2% of the population, more common in individuals over 40 years old and males.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Tobacco use, alcohol consumption, chronic irritation (e.g., poorly fitting dentures), human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Variable; non-dysplastic lesions may regress with removal of irritants, but dysplastic lesions have a risk of malignant transformation (1-20%).
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Malignant transformation into squamous cell carcinoma, persistent lesions, and secondary infections.
Erythroplakia
Specialty: Dental and Oral Health
Category: Oral Cancer and Precancerous Conditions
Sub-category: Precancerous Conditions
Symptoms:
red velvety patches on the oral mucosa; lesions may be flat or slightly raised; often painless; occasionally associated with bleeding or ulceration
Root Cause:
Premalignant condition characterized by epithelial dysplasia with a high risk of progression to squamous cell carcinoma.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical examination, biopsy to determine the presence of dysplasia or carcinoma.
Treatment:
Elimination of risk factors (e.g., cessation of tobacco and alcohol), surgical excision, laser therapy, or cryotherapy for suspicious lesions.
Medications:
No specific medications; treatment focuses on surgical or ablative techniques.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare, accounting for less than 1% of oral lesions.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Tobacco use, alcohol consumption, human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, chronic irritation.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Poor if left untreated; approximately 51% of cases show malignant transformation to squamous cell carcinoma.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Progression to invasive cancer, persistent lesions, and recurrence after treatment.
Submucous Fibrosis
Specialty: Dental and Oral Health
Category: Oral Cancer and Precancerous Conditions
Sub-category: Precancerous Conditions
Symptoms:
burning sensation in the mouth; restricted mouth opening (trismus); stiffening of the oral mucosa; paleness or blanching of the oral mucosa; difficulty in swallowing or chewing
Root Cause:
Chronic inflammation and fibrosis of the oral submucosa, often linked to areca nut or betel quid chewing.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical examination, histopathological confirmation of fibrosis.
Treatment:
Stopping areca nut or betel quid use, intralesional corticosteroid injections, surgical release of fibrous bands in severe cases.
Medications:
Corticosteroids (e.g., triamcinolone ), hyaluronidase to reduce fibrosis, antioxidants (e.g., lycopene) to improve healing.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Common in Southeast Asia and South Asia; prevalence varies from 2.5% to 8% in high-risk populations.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Chewing areca nut or betel quid, tobacco use, genetic predisposition, nutritional deficiencies (e.g., iron or vitamins).
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Chronic and progressive; stopping risk factors may slow progression, but fibrosis is often irreversible.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Increased risk of oral cancer, difficulty eating, and severe mouth opening limitations.