Oral cancer is a type of malignancy involving the mouth, palate, gingiva, cheeks, lips, and tongue. Significant alcohol consumption, chewing or smoking tobacco, and the human papillomavirus (HPV) are the main risk factors for oral cancer.

Early diagnosis and treatment of any type of cancer are crucial for its recovery. It helps to decide on preoperative surgical planning, including figuring out how much of a tumour needs to be removed to get clear margins and how to reconstruct a surgical defect.

If you experience any bothersome symptoms that last longer than two weeks, make an appointment with your doctor or dentist. Your doctor will look into less unusual explanations for your symptoms, like an infection. On suspicion of a malignant lesion, general dental practices may refer the patient to a nearby oral and maxillofacial (OMF) clinic for further analysis. A mouth cancer specialist, or oral and maxillofacial surgeon or an oral oncologist, takes various steps to detect whether there is cancer.

Clinical Examination:

The oral oncologist conducts a thorough clinical examination to rule out abnormal tissue or tumour. The mouth cancer specialist examined the patient both visually and palpably. This procedure includes bimanual palpation of the tongue and floor of the mouth, digital palpation of the neck node regions, and inspection of the oral and pharyngeal mucosa using an adequate light source. Besides physical check-ups, the doctor also checks the patient’s social, family, and medical histories as well as record risk behaviours (such as smoking and drinking), a history of head and neck radiation therapy, a family history of head and neck cancer, and a personal history of cancer. Patients aged over 40 are considered high-risk patients.

Gold standards for Oral Cancer:

The gold standards for detecting oral cancer are clinical examination, conventional oral examination (COE), and histopathological evaluation, which can identify the disease at an advanced stage when lesions have undergone significant malignant changes. Oral oncologists follow the Gold standards if they detect any abnormal lesion during a clinical examination. They can also advise for CT scans, MRI scans, or PET scans to determine the level of the disease.

Staging and Patient Counselling:

The next important stage of treatment of oral cancer is to determine the stage of the cancer. The size of the primary lesion, local extension, lymph node involvement, and the existance of distant metastasis determine the disease’s location. Now that the stage is detected, the mouth cancer specialist should now inform the patients and their family members about the diagnosis, treatment procedure, side effects, and chances of recovery. Counselling regarding the disease is a vital aspect of cancer treatment.

Multidisciplinary approach in managing Oral Cancer:

Any type of Cancer needs a multidisciplinary approach, Oral Cancer needs it more. A multidisciplinary team (MDT) in oncology is referred to as the collaboration of various specialized professionals involved in cancer care with the overarching objective of enhancing patient care and treatment effectiveness.

Conclusion:

Early detecttion of Cancer is very important for presise and timely treatment of oral cancer. Regular oral check up is thus becoming mandatory for all. Mouth Cancer specialist plays an important role in detecting and treating Oral Cancer. simultaneously, the multidisciplinary approach is necessary to ensure comprehensive assessment, personalized treatment, improved coordination, holistic support, and enhanced rehabilitation.