Oral cancer: clinical features, staging, early detection
Oral Medicine and Radiology · Dental (BDS)
Study notes
A painless ulcer on the tongue's edge persists 3 weeks in a tobacco user. What is the single most important action? Biopsy without delay - painless persistence in a high-risk site and patient is oral cancer's classic presentation, and prognosis falls steeply with stage. Students learn the dentist's life-saving role: the mouth is visible, so oral cancer should be caught early - every persistent lesion gets evaluated, and tobacco counselling is prevention.
Related topics
- Diagnostic protocol: history taking, clinical examination of oral cavity
- Oral mucosal lesions: white, red, vesiculobullous lesions
- Potentially malignant disorders: leukoplakia, OSMF, lichen planus
- Ulcerative lesions: aphthous, traumatic, infective ulcers
- Pigmented lesions of oral cavity
- Salivary gland disorders: xerostomia, sialadenitis, sialolithiasis