Corel Medical Series: Cancer/Corel Medical Series: Cancer.iso/pc/program/c14b.dxr/00052_SRC.c14b.C.2.txt

Text File | 1997-01-28 | 1.5 KB | 18 lines

Treatment Overview
• If surgery is the chosen method, the tumor must be removed along with the areas in the neck where it usually
  first spreads, to provide a margin of safety. The chosen surgeon must be able to reconstruct the area, working
  with dentists who are specialists in reconstructing portions of teeth that have had to be removed to provide the
  best chance of cure. This helps return the patient to the most normal quality of life.
• If the cervical nodes are involved, all the lymph nodes on that side of the neck usually have to be removed
  (radical neck dissection).
• Radiation therapy for lip or oral cancer can be with either external beams or occasionally the implantation of
  radioactive seeds into the tumor site for a specified time to give a calculated dose of radiation. Either method can
  be used alone, but most cancer centers use the two in combination.
• Surgery to remove a tumor of the tongue often requires removing a generous portion of the tongue to provide a
  margin of safety. Surprisingly, there may be very little effect on speech and swallowing, although if the tumor is
  large, a larger portion of the tongue has to be removed and speech becomes more of a problem. A speech
  therapist may be needed for proper rehabilitation .
• Cancer of the space around the teeth usually requires the removal of some of the teeth as well as the primary
  cancer site in the gingiva (gums). The dental prosthodontist creates a specialized plate for complete
  rehabilitation.