Childhood Oral Cavity Cancer Treatment (PDQ®)–Patient Version

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General Information About Childhood Oral Cavity Cancer

KEY POINTS

Oral cavity cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the mouth.
Most tumors in the oral cavity are benign (not cancer).
Being infected with the human papillomavirus (HPV) may increase the risk of oral cavity cancer.
Signs and symptoms of oral cavity cancer include a sore that does not heal.
Tests that examine the mouth and throat are used to detect (find) and diagnose oral cavity cancer.

Oral cavity cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the mouth.

The oral cavity includes the following:

The front two thirds of the tongue.
The gingiva (gums).
The buccal mucosa (the lining of the inside of the cheeks).
The floor (bottom) of the mouth under the tongue.
The hard palate (the roof of the mouth).
The retromolar trigone (the small area behind the wisdom teeth).

Anatomy of the oral cavity; drawing shows the lip, hard palate, soft palate, retromolar trigone, front two-thirds of the tongue, gingiva, buccal mucosa, and floor of mouth. Also shown are the teeth, uvula, and tonsil. — Anatomy of the oral cavity. The oral cavity includes the lips, hard palate (the bony front portion of the roof of the mouth), soft palate (the muscular back portion of the roof of the mouth), retromolar trigone (the area behind the wisdom teeth), front two-thirds of the tongue, gingiva (gums), buccal mucosa (the inner lining of the lips and cheeks), and floor of the mouth under the tongue.

Most tumors in the oral cavity are benign (not cancer).

The most common type of oral cavity cancer in adults, squamous cell carcinoma (cancer of the thin, flat cells lining the mouth), is very rare in children. The most common types of oral cavity cancer in children are lymphomas and sarcomas.

Both benign and malignant oral cavity tumors can affect eating or speaking and need treatment.

Being infected with the human papillomavirus (HPV) may increase the risk of oral cavity cancer.

Anything that increases your chance of getting a disease is called a risk factor. Having a risk factor does not mean that you will get cancer; not having risk factors doesn't mean that you will not get cancer. Talk with your child's doctor if you think your child may be at risk.

Risk factors for oral cavity cancer in children and adolescents include the following:

Being infected with HPV.
Having certain conditions, such as Fanconi anemia, dyskeratosis congenita, connexin mutations, chronic graft-versus-host disease, epidermolysis bullosa, or xeroderma pigmentosum.

Signs and symptoms of oral cavity cancer include a sore that does not heal.

These and other signs and symptoms may be caused by oral cavity cancer or by other conditions.

Check with your child's doctor if your child has any of the following:

A sore in the mouth that does not heal.
A lump or thickening in the mouth.
A white or red patch on the gums, tongue, or lining of the mouth.
Bleeding, pain, or numbness in the mouth.

Tests that examine the mouth and throat are used to detect (find) and diagnose oral cavity cancer.

The following tests and procedures may be used:

Physical exam of oral cavity: An exam to check the oral cavity for abnormal areas. The medical doctor or dentist will feel the entire inside of the mouth with a gloved finger and examine the oral cavity with a small long-handled mirror and lights. This will include checking the insides of the cheeks and lips; the gums; the roof and floor of the mouth; and the top, bottom, and sides of the tongue. The neck will be felt for swollen lymph nodes. A history of the patient’s health habits and past illnesses and medical and dental treatments will also be taken.
X-ray : An x-ray is a type of energy beam that can go through the body and onto film.
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging): A procedure that uses a magnet, radio waves, and a computer to make a series of detailed pictures of areas of the body, such as the head and neck. This procedure is also called nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI).
CT scan (CAT scan): A procedure that makes a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body taken from different angles. The pictures are made by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. A dye may be injected into a vein or swallowed to help the organs or tissues show up more clearly. This procedure is also called computed tomography, computerized tomography, or computerized axial tomography.
ENLARGE
Computed tomography (CT) scan of the head and neck. The child lies on a table that slides through the CT scanner, which takes x-ray pictures of the inside of the head and neck.
PET scan (positron emission tomography scan): A procedure to find malignant tumor cells in the body. A small amount of radioactive glucose (sugar) is injected into a vein. The PET scanner rotates around the body and makes a picture of where glucose is being used in the body. Malignant tumor cells show up brighter in the picture because they are more active and take up more glucose than normal cells do.
Biopsy : The removal of cells or tissues so they can be viewed under a microscope by a pathologist to check for signs of cancer.