Oral Cancer Health, Medicine, Nursing Essay Research (Essay Sample)

Oral cancer is a condition in which one or more regions of the mouth including the throat develop a growth that does not disappear naturally. The growth can present as swellings, lumps, or rough spots on the gums, lips, cheeks, or tongue. The growth is also accompanied by bleeding in the mouth, as well as numbness in the mouth or face. Additional symptoms of oral cancer include white and/or red patches in mouth lining, painful swallowing, dentures that are poorly fitting, unexplained loss of teeth, and hoarse voice. While the presence of one of the outlined symptoms does not automatically indicate the presence of oral cancer, it is important to seek the doctor’s attention (Cancer Treatment Centers of America, 2019).
The causes or risk factors that are associated with oral cancer are classified into general factors, genetics, lifestyle, and other conditions. The general factors include gender: the risk of oral cancer in men is twice that in women. The higher risk in men is attributed to behavioral aspects such as tobacco and alcohol use. Another general risk factor is age: about 67% of oral cancer patients are aged more than 55 years (Cancer Treatment Centers of America, 2019). However, younger people may also develop the disease.