Head and neck cancer is highly treatable if it is caught quickly, say medical experts, so you need to know how to identify the early warning signs of the disease in order to give you the best chance of beating it.
Mouth cancer in particular is highly preventable - giving up smoking and keeping your oral hygiene in check is important, but the best way to "save your life", according to the Oral Health Foundation, is to keep a close eye on the health of your mouth.
Indeed, nine in 10 mouth cancers that are caught early are treatable by surgery, the Mirror reports.
Unlike other cancers, mouth cancer can also be detected and checked by a dentist as well as a doctor, with both being trained in the identification of head and neck cancers. If the disease is caught early, patients have a 90 per cent survival rate.
The Oral Health Foundation has shared four early warning signs of mouth cancer you should watch out for:
- Ulcers that take longer than three weeks to heal
- Unusual red or white patches
- Lumps around your neck and jaw
- Persistent hoarseness of the throat
Anyone with these symptoms should consult a doctor or a dentist immediately.
Quitting smoking and cutting down on drinking are two lifestyle changes that can reduce the risk of mouth cancer, according to NHS advice. Consuming a healthy and balanced diet can also reduce the risk.
Treatments for mouth cancer include surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
Surgery involves the removal of cancerous cells along with a bit of the surrounding tissue to ensure all the disease is removed.
Radiotherapy and chemotherapy may be used together, depending on the diagnosis and treatment plan.
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