Causes of Mouth Cancer
By: Alin ThomsTotal Views: 198, Word Count: 546,
Mouth is specially referred as the upper part of the throat. This part is responsible for many functions of the body like breathing, talking, chewing, as well as swallowing. Before knowing the causes of mouth cancer, let us focus on the important structures of the mouth and upper throat which have the chances to convert into cancerous cells. Cancer can attack the following parts of the mouth:
1. Lips
2. Inside lining of the cheeks (buccal mucosa)
3. Teeth
4. Gums
5. Tongue
6. Floor of the mouth
7. Back of the throat, which includes tonsils (Oropharynx)
8. Top of the mouth (the bony front part i.e. hard palate and the softer rear part i.e. soft palate.
9. Area behind the wisdom teeth
10. Salivary glands
Mouth Cancer
This cancer develops in cells which are building blocks of tissues. In normal process of cell division, cells divide to form new cells to fulfill the need of the body. When this ordinary process of cell division in mouth cells goes wrong, new cell formation takes place even if the body does not need them, and old cells do not die when they should. These extra cells form a mass of tissue or tumor known as cancer. Mouth cancer tumors are of two types: benign and malignant. Malignant tumors are known to be cancerous. Even if we remove these tumors, sometimes they grow back.
Causes of Mouth Cancer
Mutation
1. Sometimes, mutation of the DNA takes place in the body cells and ‘oncogenes’ present in the cells get activated. The exact cause of this mutation is unknown.
2. In many cultures of the world, chewing betel and areca is known to be important and prestigious which are responsible for developing oral cancer. Some oral cancers begin as white or red patches and non healing sores that last for more than 14 days.
Tobacco
1. 75 percent of oral cancer is caused by smoking and tobacco. This results in irritation of the mucous membrane of the mouth.
2. Tobacco contains more than 60 carcinogenic agents. Combustion of this is the primary mode of development of cancer.
3. Chewing tobacco or using snuff also directly irritates mucous membranes which cause mouth cancer.
Alcohol
1. Alcohol is a very high-risk activity which results in mouth cancer. There is known to be a very strong effect when a person is both a heavy smoker and drinker.
2. Recent studies point that alcohol-containing mouthwashes being an etiologic agent having the ability to develop mouth cancer.
3. A study suggests that acetaldehyde which is a break-down product of alcohol is concerned to form oral cancer.
Human Papillomavirus
- Infection with Human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 is a known to be an independent causative factor for mouth cancer.
- Recent research of Johns Hopkins shows that HPV is the main factor in the new population of oral cancer victims.
- Human papillomavirus forms cancer in tonsil, tonsillar pillars, base of the tongue, and the Oropharynx.
There is a rapid increase in victims of this mouth cancer. To reduce the percentage of mouth cancer worldwide, we need to avoid tobacco and alcohol which are the main causes of mouth cancer.
About the Author
Dr.Alin Thoms is a well known cancer specialist ( oncologist) and has been in this field since from 1995. He uses radiotherapy or drugs to treat cancer. He has done B.A and B.M.B.ch from Oxford University. His special interests lies in - leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma and chemotherapy and transplantation for these disorders. He is currently director of the North London Cancer Network.
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