Cancer of the lips, mouth, or pharynx (part of the throat) primarily causes by any form of tobacco use. Cigar smokers and users of SMOKELESS TOBACCO have an increased risk of developing oral cancer. Experts estimate that at least 90 percent of all oral cancers are linked to tobacco use, including cigarettes, pipe tobacco, cigars, chewing tobacco, and any other form of tobacco that individuals may use.
In addition, patients who use both tobacco and alcohol have an increased risk of developing oral cancer.
Oral cancers are more likely to occur in middle-aged or elderly adults, although they can develop in younger individuals.
People who smoke cigarettes, cigars, or pipes may develop oral cancer at any location within the oral cavity or the oropharynx, as well as developing cancer in the esophagus, the larynx, the lungs, the bladder, the kidneys, and other organs in the body According to the American Cancer Society, this risk is increased by 50 times over non-users.
Sometimes dentists discover an oral cancer during a routine oral examination of the mouth and teeth. This is another reason why most individuals should see their dentists at least once a year.
According to the American Cancer Society, about 28,000 new cases of oral cancer were diagnosed in 2003. An estimated 7,200 people, including 4,800 men and 2,400 women, died of oral cancer in 2003. The five-year survival rate for all types of oral cancers is 56 percent, and the 10-year survival rate is 41 percent. Patients who are diagnosed with oral cancer must immediately give up smoking to avoid any exacerbation or recurrences of the cancer.
Some symptoms of oral cancer are as follows (although the person may have a noncancerous ailment and only a physician can determine if cancer is present):
- A sore that does not heal
- White or red patches in the mouth
- Swelling of the jaw that causes dentures to fit poorly
- Numbness in the tongue or other parts of the mouthDo you need other reasons for quitting smoking? Say smoking NO forever
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