DETECTION and SCREENING BIOPSY

Oral cancers can be detected by us by a thorough clinical examination of the mouth and neck. Prior to this History taking is essential where in we usually enquire about the patients oral habits (e.g. tobacco consumption, excessive smoking), family history, previous history of head and neck radiotherapy.

Signs we look out for during Examination

• Any painless lump/ ulcer which has been present for a long duration
• Any unusual bleeding from the mouth
• Any swelling or lump in the mouth or in the neck
• Any unusual red or white patch in the mouth that does not go away
• Restriction in mouth opening especially due to tobacco consumption
• Any sudden swelling in the mouth/jaw/neck not attributable to any particular cause

Special emphasis is given to the back and side surface of the tongue as it a common region which is involved in oral cancers. In such cases the primary goal is to differentiate benign (harmless) conditions from malignant (harmful) cancerous growth. Timely diagnosis is crucial as it determines the success of the treatment.

Methods of Diagnosis

• Cytology
• FNAC
• Imaging-with MRI
• Biopsy

Biopsy

THIS PROCEDURE CAN BE DONE BY IN TWO WAYS

• Brush Biopsy- where in a small brush collects a few cells from the suspected site and the sample is sent to the lab for analysis
• Excisional biopsy- When the suspected area is small, then the entire lesion is excised (cut) and sent for analysis.