Mouth and Throat Tumors
Finding out you have a tumor is scary. You may wonder what effect it will have on your life. Benign or non-cancerous tumors have excellent cure rates while cancerous tumors may also be managed well when detected early. actively participate with your healthcare providers to decide on your treatment and make sure to address your concerns.
What is a tumor?
A tumor is a mass of abnormal cells. It's either slow-growing and not cancer (benign) or fast-growing and cancer (malignant). Some tumors, especially cancerous ones, can be life-threatening. But most tumors can be treated.
Who's at risk for a cancerous tumor?
You're more likely to get a tumor of the mouth or throat if you:
-
Smoke cigarettes, pipes, or cigars
-
Use chewing tobacco or snuff
-
Drink alcohol
-
Take poor care of your oral hygiene
-
Are exposed to certain industrial chemicals
-
Had a mouth or throat tumor in the past
-
History of radiation exposure in the head or neck region
-
Have a human papillomavirus (HPV) infection
-
Were assigned male at birth (twice as common than for those assigned female at birth)
-
Have poor nutrition and have extra body weight
Symptoms of a tumor in the mouth
If you have a mouth tumor, you or your healthcare provider may have noticed one or more of the following:
-
White or red patches on the cheeks, tongue, palate, or gums
-
Mouth pain or numbness that doesn’t go away
-
A sore that doesn’t heal in 1 or 2 weeks
-
Loose teeth without any obvious injury
-
Bleeding from the mouth that doesn’t stop after a few days
-
A swelling or lump that doesn’t go away
-
Problems with your teeth, dentures, or chewing
Symptoms of a tumor in the throat
If you have a throat tumor, you or your healthcare provider may have noticed one or more of the following:
-
Hoarseness that doesn’t go away
-
Trouble swallowing
-
A lump in your neck
-
Throat pain that doesn’t go away
-
Aching, pain, or pressure in your ear
-
A lasting cough, with or without bloody sputum
Weight loss without trying may be seen in a cancerous tumor occurring in any part of the body. This is because the rapidly growing cancerous cells need a lot of energy and deprive the healthy cells of nutrition.
Online Medical Reviewer:
Marianne Fraser MSN RN
Online Medical Reviewer:
Shaziya Allarakha MD
Date Last Reviewed:
10/1/2021
© 2000-2024 The StayWell Company, LLC. All rights reserved. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your healthcare professional's instructions.