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Understanding Cancer
Cancer begins in cells,
the building blocks that make up tissues.
Tissues make up the organs of
the body.
Normally, cells grow and divide to form new cells as the
body needs them. When cells grow old, they die, and new cells
take their place.
Sometimes this orderly process goes wrong. New cells form
when the body does not need them, and old cells do not die
when they should. These extra cells can form a mass of tissue
called a growth or tumor.
Tumors can be benign or malignant:
- Benign tumors are not cancer:
- Benign tumors are rarely life-threatening.
- Generally, benign tumors can be removed, and they
usually do not grow back.
- Cells from benign tumors do not invade the tissues
around them.
- Cells from benign tumors do not spread to other
parts of the body.
- Malignant tumors are cancer:
- Malignant tumors are generally more serious than
benign tumors. They may be life-threatening.
- Malignant tumors often can be removed, but sometimes
they grow back.
- Cells from malignant tumors can invade and damage
nearby tissues and organs.
- Cells from malignant tumors can spread to other
parts of the body. The cells spread by breaking away
from the original cancer (primary
tumor) and entering the bloodstream or lymphatic
system. They invade other organs, forming
new tumors and damaging these organs. The spread
of cancer is called metastasis.
Oral Cancer
Oral cancer is part of a group of cancers called head
and neck cancers. Oral cancer can develop in
any part of the oral cavity or oropharynx. Most oral
cancers begin in the tongue and in the floor of the mouth.
Almost all oral cancers begin in the flat cells (squamous
cells) that cover the surfaces of the mouth,
tongue, and lips. These cancers are called squamous
cell carcinomas.
When oral cancer spreads (metastasizes), it usually travels
through the lymphatic system. Cancer cells that enter the
lymphatic system are carried along by lymph,
a clear, watery fluid. The cancer cells often appear first
in nearby lymph
nodes in the neck.
Cancer cells can also spread to other parts of the neck,
the lungs, and other parts of the body. When this happens,
the new tumor has the same kind of abnormal cells as the
primary tumor. For example, if oral cancer spreads to the
lungs, the cancer cells in the lungs are actually oral cancer
cells. The disease is metastatic oral cancer, not lung cancer.
It is treated as oral cancer, not lung cancer. Doctors sometimes
call the new tumor "distant" or metastatic disease.
Oral Cancer: Who's at Risk?
Doctors cannot always explain why one person develops oral
cancer and another does not. However, we do know that this
disease is not contagious. You cannot "catch" oral cancer
from another person.
Research has shown that people with certain risk
factors are more likely than others to develop
oral cancer. A risk factor is anything that increases
your chance of developing a disease.
The following are risk factors for oral cancer:
- Tobacco: Tobacco use accounts for most
oral cancers. Smoking cigarettes, cigars, or pipes; using
chewing tobacco; and dipping snuff are all linked to oral
cancer. The use of other tobacco products (such as bidis and kreteks)
may also increase the risk of oral cancer. Heavy smokers
who use tobacco for a long time are most at risk. The risk
is even higher for tobacco users who drink alcohol heavily.
In fact, three out of four oral cancers occur in people
who use alcohol, tobacco, or both alcohol and tobacco.
- Alcohol: People who drink alcohol are
more likely to develop oral cancer than people who don't
drink. The risk increases with the amount of alcohol that
a person consumes. The risk increases even more if the
person both drinks alcohol and uses tobacco.
- Sun: Cancer of the lip can be caused
by exposure to the sun. Using a lotion or lip balm that
has a sunscreen can reduce the risk. Wearing a hat with
a brim can also block the sun's harmful rays. The risk
of cancer of the lip increases if the person also smokes.
- A personal history of head and neck cancer: People
who have had head and neck cancer are at increased risk
of developing another primary head and neck cancer. Smoking
increases this risk.
Quitting tobacco reduces the risk of oral cancer. Also,
quitting reduces the chance that a person with oral cancer
will get a second cancer in the head and neck region. People
who stop smoking can also reduce their risk of cancer of
the lung, larynx, mouth, pancreas, bladder, and esophagus.
There are many resources to help smokers quit:
- The Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER can
talk with callers about ways to quit smoking and about
groups that offer help to smokers who want to quit. Groups
offer counseling in person or by telephone.
- Also, your doctor or dentist can help you find a local
smoking cessation program.
- Your doctor can tell you about medicine (bupropion)
or about nicotine replacement therapy, which comes as a
patch, gum, lozenges, nasal spray, or inhaler.
- The "National
Cancer Institute Information Resources" section has
information about the Federal Government's smoking cessation
Web site, http://www.smokefree.gov.
Some studies suggest that not eating enough fruits and vegetables
may increase the chance of getting oral cancer. Scientists
also are studying whether infections with certain viruses (such
as the human
papillomavirus) are linked to oral cancer.
If you think you may be at risk, you should discuss this
concern with your doctor or dentist. You may want to ask
about an appropriate schedule for checkups. Your health care
team will probably tell you that not using tobacco and limiting
your use of alcohol are the most important things you can
do to prevent oral cancers. Also, if you spend a lot of time
in the sun, using a lip balm that contains sunscreen and
wearing a hat with a brim will help protect your lips.
To read the rest of this great article from the National
Cancer Institute, please click here: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/oral/page3
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