Mouth Cancer: Symptoms, Causes, Stages, and Treatment

🔍 Common Symptoms of Mouth Cancer

In its earliest stages, mouth cancer may not hurt — which is why many people ignore the signs.

Watch for these warning signals — especially if they last more than two weeks:

✅

Persistent sore or ulcer

A red or white patch, blister, or open sore that won’t heal

✅

Bleeding in the mouth

Unexplained bleeding from gums, tongue, or cheek

✅

Loose teeth with no cause

Teeth become loose without gum disease or injury

✅

Pain while chewing or swallowing

Feels like a sore throat that won’t go away

✅

Lump in the neck

Swelling or mass — often a sign cancer has spread to lymph nodes

✅

Earache or jaw pain

Referred pain from tumors near nerves

✅

Numbness

In the lips, face, chin, or tongue — without injury

✅

Difficulty moving the jaw

Jaw stiffness or pain when opening wide

✅

Unexplained weight loss

Due to difficulty eating or swallowing

✅

Thickening or rough spot in the mouth

Can be felt more than seen

⚠️ Red or white patches (called erythroplakia or leukoplakia) are precancerous — get them checked immediately.

⚠️ Who Is at Risk? Key Causes & Risk Factors

While anyone can develop mouth cancer, certain factors increase risk significantly.

High-Risk Factors:

✅

Tobacco use

#1 risk — cigarettes, cigars, pipes,

chewing tobacco, gutka, pan masala

✅

Heavy alcohol use

Increases risk — even more when combined with tobacco

✅

HPV (Human Papillomavirus)

Especially HPV-16 — linked to oropharyngeal (back of throat) cancers

✅

Betel quid / Areca nut

Widely used in South Asia — major cause in India

✅

Sun exposure (for lip cancer)

UV rays damage skin on lower lip

✅

Poor diet

Low in fruits and vegetables

✅

Weakened immune system

HIV/AIDS, organ transplant patients

💡 Fact: People who both smoke and drink heavily have 15x higher risk than non-users.

📊 Stages of Mouth Cancer

Cancer is staged based on size, spread, and involvement of lymph nodes:

Stage I

Small tumor (<2 cm), no spread

Stage II

Tumor 2–4 cm, still localized

Stage III

Tumor >4 cm OR spread to one lymph node