Oral cancers - smoke and drink and up goes the risk!

Aug 2 2006

Scientists in the UK have discovered that mouth cancer develops in two distinct ways which decides just how the serious the disease will be.

Oral cancer is the sixth most common cancer in the world and at least 30,000 new cases of oral and oralpharyngeal cancers are diagnosed each year and are more common in men over age 40.

Oral cancer is a malignant growth that affects any part of the oral cavity, including the lips, upper or lower jaw, tongue, gums, cheeks, and throat.

The first symptoms are usually a red or white patch or a lump anywhere in the mouth that lasts for more than a month, or a sore that bleeds easily or doesn't heal. Symptoms such as difficulty in chewing, swallowing or moving the tongue and jaw come later.

Researchers at the Beatson Institute for Cancer Research in Glasgow, Scotland found the differences while conducting laboratory experiments using healthy, early and advanced cancer cells differences that determined the aggressiveness of the cancer.

They say the revelation could lead to new ways of preventing and treating mouth cancers.

Professor Paul Harrison says the data they collected provides strong evidence for the first time that some mouth cancer tumours are more aggressive than others and therefore linked to poor patient survival.

Knowing which pre-cancerous changes are more likely to develop into aggressive tumors would enable doctors to determine the best treatment.

Professor Harrison says it may be possible to identify in advance which of these pre-cancers are likely to progress and which need to be taken seriously.

The more aggressive tumours were found to have faults in the p53 gene, which stops damaged cells from dividing, and in the p16 gene, which helps to regulate and prevent cancer from developing and are linked to more aggressive tumours.

Being able to detect such faults says Harrison could form the basis of a diagnostic test for the disease.

Experts say the leading causes of mouth cancer are cigarette, cigar, or pipe smoking and the use of smokeless tobacco in any form, such as plug, leaf, and snuff, and heavy alcohol consumption.

The most popular practice with adolescent and young adult males is that of "dipping snuff' where a moist tobacco powder, is placed between the cheek and gum and the nicotine and other carcinogens are then absorbed directly through the skin.

The combination of smoking and drinking are a particularly lethal duo.

Cigarette smoke contains carcinogens which cause mutations and changes in cells which generate the cancer formation, and like lung cancer, oral cancer usually develops in older people.

Harrison says while most people are aware that smoking is a major factor in mouth cancer not everyone appreciates that heavy drinking is also a risk factor.

The research is published in the journal Cancer Research.