Which are the oral cancer symptoms? Unfortunately, the symptoms of oral cancer can only be noticed in the advanced stages of the disease. In the beginning there are no symptoms, it is not painful and it is hardly noticeable. It generally starts with a whitish or reddish spot on the oral mucous, a spot that is difficult to notice, which is why visits to the dentist twice per year are recommended.
However, if you want to detect this type of cancer in its early stages, you should know how the precancerous lesions behave, those with a potential to become cancer, within the oral cavity:
- leucoplasia: this is a lesion that is well outlined from the mucous around it which looks like a whitish spot, with milky transparent aspect and which can gain gray shades in the more advanced forms. This type of lesion can present erosion or ulceration, in which case the risk of cancer development is much higher.
- erythroplasia: is a reddish spot with a soft mate surface. It can be singular or there can be many such stains which show a conflux tendency (they tend to unite into one big spot). The contour of these spots is usually well outlined, with irregular edges.
- oral thrush: this is a whitish spot which shows an easily noticeable with the naked eye structure modification in its center (it can have cauliflower shape or ramifications like the nerves in leaves). Usually this lesion is rebellious to treatment and the evolution takes a very long time.
- erythromatous lupus in the oral mucous membrane: the oral mucous membrane starts developing several lesions like ulcerated spots, not very deep, painful and dirty-grey in color. This mucous rash can be accompanied by a feeling of dryness in the mouth and nose.
- florid papillomatosis: the oral mucous membrane starts developing some white, grey or pink stains, but which determine an increase in cheek depth, so that nodules corresponding to these stains can be felt by touch.
You must not confuse these high cancer potential lesions with other lesions of the mucous membrane which have a very low risk of evolving into cancer. Moreover, not every spot you notice on the oral mucous membrane is real, and you need to clean your oral cavity very well before examining it and, if you notice something, try to wipe it off, because it could be a food or saliva stain that can be easily wiped off. In any case, anything you notice as abnormal should be brought before a doctor. Remember that, in general, that which does not hurt is much more dangerous than that which hurts. This does not mean that if something hurts you will neglect it. This is exactly what I am trying to say, namely that anything you notice, painful or not, could be the beginning of a disease. You should be glad that certain serious afflictions can be noticed by simple visual examination, and oral cancer is one of them.