Oral Cancer
Alternate Names : Squamous Cell Cancer of the Oral Cavity, Mouth and Throat Cancer
How is the disease diagnosed?
Diagnosis of oral cancer begins with a medical history and
physical exam. A biopsy, or
sample, may be taken from suspicious masses. If cancer is found, the healthcare
provider will order tests to see the extent of the cancer. These may include
X-rays of the chest and jaw. The provider may also order a CT scan,
ultrasound, or MRI.
Oral cancers are graded as poorly or well differentiated, a process that looks
at the types of cancer cells in the skin lesions. The following factors are
also taken into account:
any evidence that cancer cells have spread to nearby areas
the size of the initial lesion
whether cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes
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