These are rare and virtually all are malignant. They are most common in the palate. The most common type is an adenoid cystic cancer which has a tendency to invade along nerves and has a high incidence of local recurrence irrespective of the treatment employed. Continue reading
There are three pairs of major salivary glands located in and around the mouth and throat: the parotid, submandibular and sublingual glands. The parotid glands are the largest and overlie the angle of the jaw in front of the ear. From the gland a duct drains saliva into the mouth. The submandibular glands lie deep to the horizontal portion of the lower jaw and their ducts enter the mouth under the tongue. The sublingual glands lie close to the submandibular ducts. Continue reading
An example of an oral cancer-squamous cell carcinoma
Oral or mouth cancers are any tumours that grows anywhere in the mouth. They are often associated with tobacco use. It is a condition of concern because some oral cancers are fatal if not detected and treated early, such as squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), which is due to uncontrolled proliferation of the squamous cells. Almost all oral cancers begin in the flat cells (squamous cell) that cover the surfaces of the mouth, tongue, and lips.
The neck dissection is a surgical procedure for control of neck lymph node metastasis from Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) of the head and neck. The aim of the procedure is to remove lymph nodes from one side of the neck into which cancer cells may have migrated. Metastasis of squamous cell carcinoma into the lymph nodes of the neck reduce survival and is the most important factor in the spread of the disease. The metastases may originate from SCC of the upper aerodigestive tract, including the oral cavity, tongue, nasopharynx, oropharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx, as well as the thyroid, parotid and posterior scalp. Continue reading