Lip Cancers Health Article

Coping with cancer treatment

The doctor and patient should discuss the need for a way to communicate if speech is impaired after surgery. A pad and pencil may be all that is needed for a short interval. If there will be a long period of speech difficulty, patients should be ready with additional means, such as TYY phone service.

A change in appearance after the removal of a lip cancer can lead to concerns about body image, and social interaction may suffer. A support group can help. Discussions with a social worker, loved ones, or other patients who have undergone similar treatment can be of major benefit.

If a significant portion of lip is removed, speech therapy may be necessary to relearn how to make certain sounds. Scars and alterations of the lips usually can be reduced or hidden entirely with the techniques available from plastic surgery, so any alteration in appearance because of lip cancer is typically transient.

Reconstruction of the lip will help with appearance, but it might not make it easier to talk, especially if muscle tissue is removed during the surgery to eliminate the cancer. In many cases, the reconstruction process actually damages more muscle and sensory tissue. New methods of reconstructive surgery are being developed to avoid such an outcome.

Appetite may be affected before, during and after treatment. Before treatment, the presence of a tumor can interfere with the tasting of food, and food might not seem as appealing as it once did. During treatment, particularly radiation treatment, the area of the lips and mouth might be sore and make eating difficult. After treatment, a loss of sensation in the part of the lip affected can reduce appetite. A nutritionist can help with supplements for those who experience significant weight loss and who do not have an appetite (anorexia).

Clinical trials

The Cancer Information Service at the National Institutes of Health offers information about clinical trials that are looking for volunteers. The service can be reached at <http://cancertrials.nci.nih.gov> or (800) 422-6237.

Prevention

The best prevention is to stay out of the sun and avoid tobacco and alcohol. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is a good measure. Even though the importance of fruits and vegetables is not proven to prevent lip cancer, overall fruits and vegetables are demonstrated cancer-fighters. Any precaution that is taken against contracting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes AIDS, is also likely to reduce the chance of developing lip cancer.

Special concerns

Certain diseases can mimic a possible lip cancer. They must be ruled out if a suspicious spot is found. This is particularly true in areas where diseases that cause lesions, or sores, on the lips are found. One such disease is histoplasmosis capsulatum, which is caused by a fungus. It sometimes produces an ulcer, or lesion, on the lip that leads to suspicion of lip cancer.

Sometimes lip cancer cannot be cured. It may keep recurring. It may also metastasize, particularly to the lungs. But overall, lip cancer is considered highly curable. Talking openly with the physician in charge of care is important in order for the patient to understand the course of the disease and be prepared to make decisions.

See Also Oropharyngeal cancer

Resources

PERIODICALS

Brennan, P., et al. "Secondary Primary Neoplasms Following Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma in New South Wales, Australia." British Journal of Cancer 82 (April 2000):1344-7.

Haagsma, E.B., et al. "Increased Cancer Risk After Liver Transplantation: a Population-based Study." Journal of Hepatology 34 (January 2001): 84-91.

ORGANIZATIONS

Support for People with Oral and Head and Neck Cancer (SPOHNC). P.O. Box 53, Locust Valley, NY 11560-0053.(800) 377-0928. <http://www.spohnc.org>.

Diane M. Calabrese

QUESTIONS TO ASK THE DOCTOR

• Is this cancer curable?
• What is the stage of the cancer?
• What is the likelihood the cancer will recur?
• Is there a clinical trial in which I should participate?

Biopsy

—A procedure in which a tissue sample is taken from the body for examination.

Epithelial tissue

—The collection of cells that form coverings for the surfaces of the body.

Immunity

—Ability to resist the effects of agents, such as bacteria and viruses, that cause disease.

Lymph node

—A concentration of lymphatic tissue and part of the lymphatic system that collects fluid from around the cells and returns it to the blood vessels, and helps with the immune response.

Squamous cells

—Flat epithelial cells, which usually make up the outer layer of epithelial tissue, the layer farthest away from the surface the epithelium covers.