Oral Cavity or Throat Cancer

Oral Cancer

Oral cancer, sometimes referred to as oral cavity cancer or mouth cancer, is a type of cancer that forms in the oral cavity, which includes the lips, gums, tongue, cheeks, roof, or floor of the mouth.

Symptoms of oral cancer may include a lip or mouth sore that doesn't heal, a white or reddish patch on the inside of the mouth, loose teeth, a growth or lump inside the mouth, mouth pain, ear pain, or difficulty swallowing.

Patients with oral cancer will typically undergo surgery as the first treatment option, followed by radiation or chemotherapy. Specialists in the GW Cancer Center’s Head and Neck Cancer Program will decide the best course of action based on each individual’s needs.

Throat Cancer

Throat cancer refers to cancer that forms in the throat, the muscular tube through which we swallow, or the voice box, which sits just below the throat and contains the vocal cords that allow us to speak.

Throat cancer can be difficult to detect early because symptoms such as a chronic cough or sore throat can be attributed to other ailments. Patients should seek medical attention if these or other symptoms persist or worsen over time.

Specialists in the GW Cancer Center’s Head and Neck Cancer Program use a personalized and multidisciplinary approach to treat patients with throat cancer.