Oral Cancer Prevention
Avoiding risk factors and increasing protective factors may help prevent cancer.
Avoiding cancerrisk factors such as smoking, being overweight, and lack of exercise may help prevent certain cancers. Increasing protective factors such as quitting smoking, eating a healthy diet, and exercising may also help prevent some cancers. Talk to your doctor or other health care professional about how you might lower your risk of cancer.
Treatment Options for Metastatic Squamous Neck Cancer with Occult Primary
A link to a list of current clinical trials is included for each treatment section. For some types or stages of cancer, there may not be any trials listed. Check with your doctor for clinical trials that are not listed here but may be right for you. Untreated Metastatic Squamous Neck Cancer with Occult Primary Treatment of untreated metastaticsquamous neck cancer with occult primary may include the following: Radiation therapy. Surgery. Radiation therapy followed by surgery...
Read the Treatment Options for Metastatic Squamous Neck Cancer with Occult Primary article > >
The following risk factors may increase the risk of oral cancer:
Tobacco use
Using tobacco is the leading cause of oral cancer.
All forms of tobacco, including cigarettes, pipes, cigars, and chewing (smokeless) tobacco, are linked to oral cancer. The risk of oral cancer increases with the number of cigarettes smoked per day. Tobacco use is most likely to cause oral cancer in the floor of the mouth, but also causes cancer in the oral cavity and oropharynx and on the lips.
The risk of oral cancer is greater in people who use both tobacco and alcohol than it is in people who use only tobacco or only alcohol.
Tobacco users who have had oral cancer may develop second cancers in the oral cavity or nearby areas, including the nose, throat, vocal cords, esophagus, and trachea (windpipe).
Results from clinical trials have shown that when a person stops smoking cigarettes, the risk of oral cancer decreases by one-half (50%) within 5 years. Within 10 years of quitting, the risk of oral cancer is the same as for a person who never used tobacco.
Alcohol use
Using alcohol is a major risk factor for oral cancer.
The risk of oral cancer increases with the number of alcoholic drinks consumed per day. Alcohol use is also a risk factor for leukoplakia (an abnormal white patch of cells) and erythroplakia (an abnormal red patch of cells). Leukoplakia and erythroplakia lesions on the mucous membranes may become cancer.
The risk of oral cancer is greater in people who use both alcohol and tobacco than it is in people who use only alcohol or only tobacco.
Results from clinical trials have not shown a decrease in the risk of oral cancer when a person stops drinking alcohol.
Sun exposure
Being exposed to sunlight may increase the risk of lip cancer, which occurs most often on the lower lip. Avoiding the sun and/or using lip balm with sunscreen or using colored lipstick may decrease the risk of lip cancer.
HPV infection
Being infected with a certain type of human papillomavirus (HPV) may increase the risk of oral cancer.
Marijuana use
Using marijuana may increase the risk of oral cancer. Marijuana use by a person with high-risk HPV infection may further increase the risk of oral cancer.
The following protective factors may decrease the risk of oral cancer:
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