Clinical features
- most lesions present either as a painful ulcer or as a painless lump on the lip or in the mouth
- those with pain often report difficulty eating and speaking.
- dysphagia may also signify tongue fixation.
- an ulcer may cause halitosis.
- tumours on the palate or alveoli may cause ill-fitting dentures
- neck nodes are commonly felt in the submandibular area and in the upper deep jugular chain
- other symptoms are a white or red patch on the gums, tongue or lining of the mouth, and unusual bleeding, pain or numbness in the mouth
Note that only a minority patients with oral lesions will have cancer, however (1).
Reference
- NICE. Improving outcomes in head and neck cancers. Cancer service guideline CSG6. Published November 2004, last reviewed June 2015
Create an account to add page annotations
Add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation, such as a web address or phone number. This information will always be displayed when you visit this page