Other risk factors include poor diet or bad oral health care. The cancer begins in the cells of the lining of the mouth and the upper respiratory tract. The lip, tongue, floor or roof of the mouth, inside of the cheeks, tonsils and upper throat may be affected. The cancer can start as a sore called a pre-cancerous lesion. If it is not taken care of it can grow to become cancerous.
Oral cancers can grow outwardly like a tumor or inwardly like an ulcer.
Symptoms of oral cancer include an ulcer that doesn't heal, a growing mass that is visible on examination, difficulty swallowing, limited tongue movement and speech difficulties, changes in tongue sensation or a painful, enlarged lymph node in the neck. Once the lesions have become cancerous, there are a number of treatment options. These treatments may vary from person to person depending on the size and location of the tumor. Small cancerous lesions can be removed with radiation. Larger sores may require surgery or radiation.