The cancer is any size but has spread to only one lymph node on the same side of the neck as the cancer. The lymph nodes in the area may or may not contain cancer. The cancer has spread to other parts of the body. It may come back in the lip and oral cavity or in another part of the body. Treatment option overview How cancer of the lip and oral cavity is treated There are treatments for all patients with cancer of the lip and oral cavity.
Surgery is a common treatment of cancer of the lip and oral cavity.
The doctor may remove the cancer and some of the healthy tissue around the cancer. A new type of surgery called micrographic surgery is being tested in clinical trials for early cancers of the lip and oral cavity. During this surgery, the doctor removes the cancer and then uses a microscope to look at the area to make sure there are no cancer cells left. As little normal tissue as possible is removed. If smoking is stopped before radiation therapy is started, the patient has a better chance of surviving longer.