Dr. Paolo Boffetta Highlights the Symptoms and How to PreventOral Cancer
Oral cancer refers to malignant tumors that develop in certain regions of a patient’s mouth. These include the lips, tongue, palate, tonsils, glands producing saliva, pharynx, and the cheeks’ inner surface. This disease occurs when the cells of these organs undergo sudden mutations in their Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). This is the material that contains specific genetic instructions telling the cells how to function correctly. As a consequence, cells which are the verge of dying out continue to grow, multiply, and expand. With time, these abnormal cells affect the healthy ones and combine to form tumors that spread rapidly to other areas.