Oral Cancer Treatment

About Oral Cancer Treatment

Oral cancer — arising in the tongue, cheek lining, gums, floor of the mouth, or lips — is among the most common cancers treated in India, where high-volume head and neck oncology units see a large share of tobacco- and betel-nut-related cases. Treatment begins with a biopsy and imaging (CT/MRI, sometimes PET-CT) to stage the tumor, followed by surgical resection with clear margins, often combined with neck dissection to remove lymph nodes at risk of spread. Reconstructive microvascular surgery — using tissue flaps from the forearm, thigh, or fibula — restores form and function when a significant portion of the jaw or tongue is removed. Depending on the pathology, surgery is followed by adjuvant radiation or chemoradiation to reduce the chance of recurrence. A multidisciplinary team of head and neck surgeons, oncologists, prosthodontists, and speech and swallowing therapists manages the full course of care, including rehabilitation of speech and eating after surgery. Early-stage cancers detected before nodal spread carry a substantially better prognosis, so patients are encouraged to send biopsy and imaging reports for a tumor board opinion as soon as a diagnosis is suspected.