What causes dark spots in the mouth. How to identify different types of oral discoloration. When should you be concerned about dark spots in your mouth. What treatments are available for oral pigmentation.

Common Causes of Dark Spots in the Mouth

Dark spots or discoloration inside the mouth can be alarming, but are often harmless. Several benign conditions can cause pigmentation changes in the oral cavity. Understanding the potential causes can help alleviate concerns and determine when medical attention is necessary.

Oral Nevi: Moles Inside the Mouth

Oral nevi, or moles inside the mouth, appear as small brown, bluish-gray, or nearly black dots. They are typically slightly raised and more commonly found on the roof of the mouth or inner lip, though they can also develop on the cheeks. Oral nevi usually don’t cause any symptoms and rarely require treatment.

Are oral nevi dangerous? Generally, oral nevi are benign and have not been reported to become cancerous. However, a healthcare provider may recommend a biopsy to rule out melanoma, especially if the spot changes in size, shape, or color.

Blood Blisters: Fluid-Filled Sacs

Blood blisters in the mouth can range from purple to dark red in color. They often form when the skin inside the mouth gets pinched or injured. These blisters are typically large enough to feel with your tongue and may be painful when touched or when eating spicy foods.

How long do oral blood blisters last? Most blood blisters in the mouth resolve on their own within two weeks without treatment. If a blister persists longer or becomes a recurring issue, it’s advisable to consult a healthcare professional.

Melanotic Macules: Areas of Hyperpigmentation

Oral melanotic macules are flat, well-defined areas of hyperpigmentation in the mouth. They average about a quarter of an inch in diameter but can be as small as 0.04 inches. While these spots are typically noncancerous, a biopsy may be recommended to definitively rule out melanoma.

Dental-Related Causes of Oral Discoloration

Sometimes, dental procedures or habits can lead to dark spots or discoloration in the mouth. Understanding these causes can help differentiate between harmless pigmentation and more serious conditions.

Amalgam Tattoos: Leakage from Dental Fillings

Amalgam tattoos are relatively common dark spots caused by leakage from dental fillings. These spots appear dark blue, gray, or black and are usually located near a filling. Amalgam tattoos don’t cause symptoms and are generally harmless.

Can amalgam tattoos be removed? While amalgam tattoos are permanent, they can be removed through laser surgery if desired for cosmetic reasons. However, removal is not medically necessary in most cases.

Smoker’s Melanosis: Tobacco-Induced Staining

Smoking can cause blotchy stains inside the cheeks and gums, a condition known as smoker’s melanosis. Approximately 22 percent of smokers develop this type of staining. While these stains don’t cause symptoms or require treatment, a biopsy may be recommended to rule out other conditions.

Does smoker’s melanosis go away? Smoker’s melanosis can potentially fade if an individual quits smoking. For those seeking removal for cosmetic reasons, laser treatment or electrosurgery are options.

Rare but Serious Causes of Oral Dark Spots

While most dark spots in the mouth are benign, some rare conditions can cause oral discoloration that requires medical attention. Being aware of these possibilities can help individuals seek timely medical care when necessary.

Oral Melanoma: A Rare Form of Cancer

In extremely rare cases, a dark spot inside the cheek may be a sign of oral melanoma, a type of cancer affecting pigmented cells called melanocytes. Oral melanoma accounts for about 1.6 percent of head and neck cancers and less than 1 percent of all melanomas.

What are the early signs of oral melanoma? In its early stages, oral melanoma often presents as a dark brown to blue-black spot with minimal symptoms. It can also be unpigmented or white. As the condition progresses, symptoms may include pain, ulcers, and bleeding.

Treatment options for oral melanoma may include surgery, immunotherapy, radiation, and drug therapy. Early detection and treatment are crucial for improving outcomes.

Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome: A Genetic Condition

Peutz-Jeghers syndrome is a genetic condition that causes noncancerous growths called polyps in the intestines and stomach. Children with this syndrome often develop dark spots on their lips, inside their mouth, near their eyes and nose, and around their anus. These spots usually fade with age.

What are the complications of Peutz-Jeghers syndrome? People with this condition may experience complications such as pain, bleeding, or bowel obstruction. While there’s no cure, surgery can remove polyps in the digestive tract to manage symptoms.

Systemic Conditions Associated with Oral Pigmentation

Some systemic health conditions can manifest with changes in oral pigmentation. Recognizing these potential underlying causes is important for comprehensive healthcare.

Addison’s Disease: Adrenal Insufficiency

Addison’s disease, also known as adrenal insufficiency, is a condition characterized by a deficiency of hormones produced by the adrenal glands. One symptom of Addison’s disease is the development of hyperpigmented blotches inside the mouth.

What are other symptoms of Addison’s disease? Additional symptoms may include extreme fatigue, weight loss, salt cravings, low blood sugar, and hyperpigmentation of the skin. Treatment typically involves hormone replacement therapy to manage the condition.

When to Seek Medical Attention for Oral Dark Spots

While many oral dark spots are benign, certain situations warrant professional medical evaluation. Understanding when to seek help can ensure prompt diagnosis and treatment if necessary.

• Changes in size, shape, or color of existing spots
• New spots that appear suddenly or grow rapidly
• Spots accompanied by pain, bleeding, or ulceration
• Persistent spots that don’t resolve within two weeks
• Multiple spots appearing in a short period
• Family history of oral cancer or melanoma

How is the cause of oral dark spots diagnosed? Healthcare providers may use various methods to diagnose the cause of oral dark spots, including visual examination, biopsy, and imaging studies. A thorough medical history and physical examination are also crucial components of the diagnostic process.

Prevention and Management of Oral Dark Spots

While not all oral dark spots can be prevented, certain lifestyle choices and oral care practices can help reduce the risk of developing some types of oral pigmentation.

Oral Hygiene and Regular Dental Check-ups

Maintaining good oral hygiene and attending regular dental check-ups can help prevent some causes of oral dark spots, such as those related to dental work or oral infections.

How often should you have a dental check-up? Most dentists recommend bi-annual check-ups for routine cleaning and examination. However, individuals with specific oral health concerns may need more frequent visits.

Lifestyle Modifications

Certain lifestyle changes can help prevent or manage some causes of oral dark spots:

1. Quitting smoking to prevent smoker’s melanosis
2. Protecting the lips and mouth from excessive sun exposure
3. Avoiding oral injuries that could lead to blood blisters
4. Maintaining a balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals for overall oral health

Treatment Options for Oral Dark Spots

The treatment for oral dark spots depends on their underlying cause. Some spots may not require treatment, while others may need medical intervention.

Observation and Monitoring

For benign conditions like oral nevi or amalgam tattoos, healthcare providers may recommend regular monitoring to ensure the spots don’t change or become problematic.

Removal Procedures

In some cases, removal of oral dark spots may be recommended or desired. This can involve various procedures:

• Laser therapy: Often used for amalgam tattoos or smoker’s melanosis
• Surgical excision: May be necessary for suspicious lesions or confirmed oral melanoma
• Cryotherapy: Freezing of the affected tissue to remove the pigmented area

Are removal procedures for oral dark spots painful? Most removal procedures are performed under local anesthesia, minimizing discomfort during the process. Post-procedure pain is typically mild and can be managed with over-the-counter pain relievers.

Medical Management

For systemic conditions causing oral dark spots, such as Addison’s disease, treatment focuses on managing the underlying condition. This may involve hormone replacement therapy or other medications as prescribed by a healthcare provider.

Living with Oral Dark Spots: Psychological and Social Aspects

While many oral dark spots are harmless, they can still cause psychological distress or social anxiety for some individuals. Understanding how to cope with these concerns is an important aspect of overall well-being.

Coping Strategies

For those struggling with the appearance of oral dark spots, several coping strategies may be helpful:

• Education: Learning about the benign nature of most oral dark spots can alleviate anxiety
• Support groups: Connecting with others who have similar concerns can provide emotional support
• Counseling: Professional mental health support may be beneficial for those experiencing significant distress
• Open communication: Discussing concerns with healthcare providers can ensure proper management and peace of mind

How can you boost confidence if you’re self-conscious about oral dark spots? Focus on overall oral health, practice positive self-talk, and remember that most people are unlikely to notice or be concerned about minor oral pigmentation. If the spots significantly impact your quality of life, discuss cosmetic options with your healthcare provider.

Patient Education and Awareness

Increasing awareness about oral dark spots can help reduce stigma and promote early detection of potentially serious conditions. Healthcare providers play a crucial role in educating patients about:

• Normal variations in oral pigmentation
• Signs that warrant medical attention
• The importance of regular oral examinations
• Lifestyle factors that can affect oral health

By fostering understanding and open dialogue about oral health, individuals can feel more empowered to seek appropriate care and maintain optimal oral well-being.

Causes and What Needs to Be Treated

Finding a black spot or dot on the inside of your cheek can be alarming, but it’s not necessarily a sign of something serious.

A variety of harmless conditions can cause discoloration in your mouth, such as moles, hyperpigmentation, and leakage from your dental fillings.

In extremely rare cases, a black spot may be a sign of a type of cancer called oral melanoma. Oral melanoma accounts for about 1.6 percent of cancers of the head or neck, and less than 1 percent of all melanomas, according to The Oral Cancer Foundation.

Keep reading to find out what may be causing a black spot on the inside your cheek and when you should see your doctor.

The following conditions may cause a black dot, a small, circular mark, to form on the inside of your cheek.

Oral nevi

Oral nevi are small brown, bluish gray, or almost black dots that can appear inside your mouth. Nevi is a medical term for moles (nevus is singular).

Oral nevi are usually slightly raised. They’re more common on the roof of the mouth or inner lip, but they can also form on the cheeks. They usually don’t cause any symptoms.

No treatment is usually necessary for an oral nevus, and there are no reports of an oral nevus becoming cancerous. However, your doctor or dentist may still recommend getting a biopsy to make sure it’s indeed a nevus and not melanoma.

Blood blister

Blood blisters are sacs of fluid that fill with blood. They can range in color from purple to dark red. They commonly form when the skin in your mouth gets pinched.

Blood blisters are often big enough that you can feel them with your tongue. They most often form on the soft parts of your mouth, like your cheek or inner lips. They’re typically painful when touched, or if you eat spicy food.

The majority of blood blisters don’t last long and don’t need treatment if you leave them alone. But if the blood blister lasts for more than 2 weeks or becomes a reoccurring problem, it’s a good idea to visit your doctor.

Melanotic macules

Oral melanotic macules are areas of hyperpigmentation that average about a quarter of an inch in diameter. They can be as small as 0.04 of an inch. These spots are typically flat and have a well-defined border.

Oral melanotic macules are noncancerous, but your doctor may recommend a biopsy to rule out melanoma.

The following are potential causes of dark spots on the inside of your cheek. Spots can vary in size but they are larger than a dot.

Leakage from a dental filling

Amalgam is a material made of mercury, tin, zinc, silver, and copper. It’s been used for more than 150 years for dental fillings.

Amalgam tattoos are leakages from these dental fillings. They’re relatively common and usually appear dark blue, gray, or black. They’re most often located next to a filling.

Amalgam tattoos don’t cause any symptoms and don’t need treatment. They’re permanent unless removed with laser surgery.

Smoker’s melanosis

Smoking can leave blotchy stains called smoker’s melanosis inside your cheeks and gums. About 22 percent of people who smoke have this staining.

These stains don’t cause symptoms and don’t need treatment. However, your doctor will likely recommend a biopsy to rule out other conditions. The stains can be removed with laser treatment or electrosurgery.

Oral cancer

Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that affects pigmented cells called melanocytes.

Melanoma is most common on parts of your skin frequently exposed to sunlight, but it can also form in your mouth and nose. In extremely rare cases, a dark spot inside your cheek may be a sign of oral melanoma.

In its early stages, oral melanoma often has minimal symptoms. It usually manifests as a dark brown to blue-black spot. It can also be unpigmented or white. In its late stages, the spot may be accompanied by pain, ulcers, and bleeding.

The average age of diagnosis of oral melanoma is 56. Oral cancer is twice as common in men as women.

Treatment for oral melanoma may include:

• surgery
• immunotherapy
• radiation
• drug therapy

Peutz-Jeghers syndrome

Peutz-Jeghers syndrome is a condition that causes noncancerous growths called polyps in the intestines and stomach.

Children who develop this condition also commonly develop dark spots on their lips, inside their mouth, near their eyes and nose, and around their anus. The spots usually fade with age.

People with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome also often develop complications such as pain, bleeding, or bowel obstruction.

There’s no current cure for Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, but surgery can remove the polyps in the digestive tract.

Addison’s disease

Addison’s disease, or adrenal insufficiency, is a deficiency of the hormones produced by your adrenal glands. One of the symptoms of Addison’s disease is hyperpigmented blotches of skin inside your mouth.

Other symptoms include:

• extreme fatigue
• weight loss
• salt cravings
• low blood sugar
• hyperpigmentation

You can take medication to replace the hormones your adrenal glands can’t produce by themselves.

Even though the chances of developing oral melanoma is very low, it’s good practice to see your doctor whenever you notice an abnormally colored spot or dot in your mouth.

It’s especially important to get the spot checked if you’re older than 55 years. Older adults have a higher risk for developing oral cancer.

Your doctor may use the following tests to help confirm a diagnosis of the dark spot inside your cheek:

• Physical inspection. Your doctor may be able to identify the spot during a physical examination simply based on its appearance.
• Biopsy. During a biopsy, your doctor will cut away a small piece of the spot and send it to a lab for analysis.
• Blood test. Your doctor may administer a blood test measuring your potassium, cortisol, and ACTH hormone levels if they suspect Addison’s disease.

Finding a dark spot or dot in your mouth is unlikely to be a sign of cancer. However, it’s still a good idea to show it to your doctor or dentist. If it does turn out to be cancerous, getting an early diagnosis and treatment can improve your outlook.

Causes and What Needs to Be Treated

Finding a black spot or dot on the inside of your cheek can be alarming, but it’s not necessarily a sign of something serious.

A variety of harmless conditions can cause discoloration in your mouth, such as moles, hyperpigmentation, and leakage from your dental fillings.

In extremely rare cases, a black spot may be a sign of a type of cancer called oral melanoma. Oral melanoma accounts for about 1.6 percent of cancers of the head or neck, and less than 1 percent of all melanomas, according to The Oral Cancer Foundation.

Keep reading to find out what may be causing a black spot on the inside your cheek and when you should see your doctor.

The following conditions may cause a black dot, a small, circular mark, to form on the inside of your cheek.

Oral nevi

Oral nevi are small brown, bluish gray, or almost black dots that can appear inside your mouth. Nevi is a medical term for moles (nevus is singular).

Oral nevi are usually slightly raised. They’re more common on the roof of the mouth or inner lip, but they can also form on the cheeks. They usually don’t cause any symptoms.

No treatment is usually necessary for an oral nevus, and there are no reports of an oral nevus becoming cancerous. However, your doctor or dentist may still recommend getting a biopsy to make sure it’s indeed a nevus and not melanoma.

Blood blister

Blood blisters are sacs of fluid that fill with blood. They can range in color from purple to dark red. They commonly form when the skin in your mouth gets pinched.

Blood blisters are often big enough that you can feel them with your tongue. They most often form on the soft parts of your mouth, like your cheek or inner lips. They’re typically painful when touched, or if you eat spicy food.

The majority of blood blisters don’t last long and don’t need treatment if you leave them alone. But if the blood blister lasts for more than 2 weeks or becomes a reoccurring problem, it’s a good idea to visit your doctor.

Melanotic macules

Oral melanotic macules are areas of hyperpigmentation that average about a quarter of an inch in diameter. They can be as small as 0.04 of an inch. These spots are typically flat and have a well-defined border.

Oral melanotic macules are noncancerous, but your doctor may recommend a biopsy to rule out melanoma.

The following are potential causes of dark spots on the inside of your cheek. Spots can vary in size but they are larger than a dot.

Leakage from a dental filling

Amalgam is a material made of mercury, tin, zinc, silver, and copper. It’s been used for more than 150 years for dental fillings.

Amalgam tattoos are leakages from these dental fillings. They’re relatively common and usually appear dark blue, gray, or black. They’re most often located next to a filling.

Amalgam tattoos don’t cause any symptoms and don’t need treatment. They’re permanent unless removed with laser surgery.

Smoker’s melanosis

Smoking can leave blotchy stains called smoker’s melanosis inside your cheeks and gums. About 22 percent of people who smoke have this staining.

These stains don’t cause symptoms and don’t need treatment. However, your doctor will likely recommend a biopsy to rule out other conditions. The stains can be removed with laser treatment or electrosurgery.

Oral cancer

Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that affects pigmented cells called melanocytes.

Melanoma is most common on parts of your skin frequently exposed to sunlight, but it can also form in your mouth and nose. In extremely rare cases, a dark spot inside your cheek may be a sign of oral melanoma.

In its early stages, oral melanoma often has minimal symptoms. It usually manifests as a dark brown to blue-black spot. It can also be unpigmented or white. In its late stages, the spot may be accompanied by pain, ulcers, and bleeding.

The average age of diagnosis of oral melanoma is 56. Oral cancer is twice as common in men as women.

Treatment for oral melanoma may include:

• surgery
• immunotherapy
• radiation
• drug therapy

Peutz-Jeghers syndrome

Peutz-Jeghers syndrome is a condition that causes noncancerous growths called polyps in the intestines and stomach.

Children who develop this condition also commonly develop dark spots on their lips, inside their mouth, near their eyes and nose, and around their anus. The spots usually fade with age.

People with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome also often develop complications such as pain, bleeding, or bowel obstruction.

There’s no current cure for Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, but surgery can remove the polyps in the digestive tract.

Addison’s disease

Addison’s disease, or adrenal insufficiency, is a deficiency of the hormones produced by your adrenal glands. One of the symptoms of Addison’s disease is hyperpigmented blotches of skin inside your mouth.

Other symptoms include:

• extreme fatigue
• weight loss
• salt cravings
• low blood sugar
• hyperpigmentation

You can take medication to replace the hormones your adrenal glands can’t produce by themselves.

Even though the chances of developing oral melanoma is very low, it’s good practice to see your doctor whenever you notice an abnormally colored spot or dot in your mouth.

It’s especially important to get the spot checked if you’re older than 55 years. Older adults have a higher risk for developing oral cancer.

Your doctor may use the following tests to help confirm a diagnosis of the dark spot inside your cheek:

• Physical inspection. Your doctor may be able to identify the spot during a physical examination simply based on its appearance.
• Biopsy. During a biopsy, your doctor will cut away a small piece of the spot and send it to a lab for analysis.
• Blood test. Your doctor may administer a blood test measuring your potassium, cortisol, and ACTH hormone levels if they suspect Addison’s disease.

Finding a dark spot or dot in your mouth is unlikely to be a sign of cancer. However, it’s still a good idea to show it to your doctor or dentist. If it does turn out to be cancerous, getting an early diagnosis and treatment can improve your outlook.

The child has spots on his teeth, what to do

Changes in the child’s teeth are a serious symptom that signals the need to visit the dentist. What color are the stains on the teeth, what can they signal and what should be done first? Fast dental care for stains on your child’s teeth!

Yellow spots on the teeth

Yellow spots are caused by tartar, trauma, caries, as well as problems during childbearing and living conditions. Often the problem occurs in the youngest children (under one year). These include hygienic violations and dry air, in which he is forced to constantly be.

In any case, regardless of the cause of this pathology, it is necessary to consult a dentist. Regular brushing, dental check-ups, and flossing can reduce the risk. It is also recommended to have your teeth professionally cleaned at the dentist’s office twice a year. Significantly increases the effectiveness of prevention exclusion from the diet of foods that contribute to the destruction of teeth. A similar pathology can also occur in adults.

White spots on tooth enamel

They are caused by intrauterine development disorders. Their immediate causes are a weakening of the immune system, an excess of fluoride in the body (read about fluorosis), caries and mechanical damage to tooth enamel. The reason for the appearance of such spots is often malnutrition. For prevention, you should brush your teeth (or at least rinse your mouth) after each meal. Once every six months, tartar should be removed and, if necessary, remineralization should be carried out.

Disease causing stains on teeth

Dental disease that appears as multi-colored spots on their surface is called hypoplasia . The disease appears even during the period of bearing the future patient of the dental office. It develops in a child if the mother, during pregnancy, had stomach problems, and she also had a lack of vitamin D or she was exposed to a viral disease.

In such cases, it is necessary to increase the immunity of the child and change his diet. First of all, it is required to exclude the possibility of excessive amounts of fluorine entering the body. To do this, you should abandon the toothpaste with its high content. You need to give your child only purified (bottled or filtered) water to drink, and also give him more vitamins, vegetables and fruits.

With the development of the disease, which is expressed in the appearance of new spots and an increase in the area of ​​existing ones, remineralization is necessary. The procedure consists in the dentist covering the teeth with a special paste containing substances designed to strengthen the enamel. With hypoplasia, identified before reaching the age of eighteen, fluoridation or silvering is also performed.

Black spots

Tooth decay of this nature can have several causes. One of them is Priestley plaque , most often caused by violations of the microflora of the children’s intestines. As a result, both milk and molars are destroyed by bacteria. The disease is treated only by medication.

Black spots can also be caused by the development of caries. Blackening of the teeth is often the result of a lack of calcium in the body. For prevention, you need to reduce the amount of sugar consumed.

In addition, calcium levels can be increased by giving the baby more milk and using vitamin complexes prescribed by the dentist.

Much less often, but it is still possible to inherit this pathology from parents. Therefore, the child should have personal cutlery (at least a spoon and fork).

Brown spots

Similar manifestations on tooth enamel are also caused by the development of hypoplasia. The disease, in general, is very common and, according to some estimates, up to 40% of children suffer from it.

The causes of hypoplasia, in contrast to caries destroying still growing teeth, are complications during pregnancy or trauma upon birth. It can also develop due to malnutrition, digestive problems and damage to tooth enamel.

For prevention, it is necessary to monitor the condition of the mother’s teeth. You should refuse artificial feeding and monitor the child’s nutrition afterwards, as well as visit the dentist regularly.

Types of damage to teeth in hypoplasia

The disease can manifest itself in different forms. Most often it is a spot, but erosion (thinning of the enamel layer) and furrow (deepening of a darker color) are possible, as well as a combination of different symptoms.

Moscow
metro Zvezdnaya, Danube prospect, 23

Oral and throat cancer

general name for diseases in which
malignant neoplasms appear and grow
(MN) or, in other words, malignant tumors.

Modern medicine distinguishes more than a hundred types of such
diseases. Cancer can affect any human organ.
The course and symptoms differ, but one thing is common: cells
of the affected organ begin to divide uncontrollably
and grow. This abnormal growth is called a tumor.

More

The majority of patients
are older than 40 .
Most often they are people
45-60 years old .

Out of 1000
cancer patients only 8 suffer from oral cavity cancer
.

Men get sick
7 times more often than
women. Presumably due to the fact that bad habits are more common among men.

Self-diagnosis

In the early stages, cancer in the mouth is asymptomatic. But a person can notice the manifestation of diseases that precede cancer.

Erythroplakia is a red spot on the mucous membrane, usually on the lower lip or palate.

Leukoplakia – white bumps – round or oblong – on the inside of the cheeks, gums or under the tongue.

If you notice any of these signs, make an appointment with your dentist or otolaryngologist (ENT) immediately.

Professional diagnostics

A dentist and ENT can detect signs of cancer when examining a patient’s mouth (endoscopic examination).

More accurate data are obtained by biopsy: material is taken from the affected area for examination under a microscope. The material can be collected with a special brush. Or – this method is more common – the patient is given local anesthesia and the surgeon cuts off a piece of the affected mucosa.

In addition, ultrasound, CT, MRI, and X-rays of the facial part of the skull are performed.

Usually, the doctor is consulted already in the later stages, when the tumor causes discomfort. To assess the extent of the spread of cancer, the patient is given a chest x-ray and an abdominal ultrasound.

Immediately contact your doctor (dentist or ENT) if you notice these symptoms. They are similar to signs of other diseases, only a doctor can correctly interpret them.

The sooner a tumor is detected, the more effective it will be.
her treatment.

Treatment and follow-up

In most cases, malignant tumors in the oral cavity are excised. This is called a resection. The scale of the operation is determined by the size of the tumor, the depth of its penetration into neighboring tissues and the state of the lymph nodes. In some cases, a laser is enough. In others, a large-scale surgical intervention is necessary, up to the removal of fragments of the jaws with their subsequent restoration. The level of modern surgery makes it possible to excise tumors even from the tongue, preserving its functions..

If the cancer is detected in time, after the operation the patient gets rid of it forever. Relapses of the disease are extremely rare.

Radiation therapy is usually given after surgery or when a recurrence is detected. Radioactive radiation is concentrated on the tumor, minimally affecting healthy tissue.

Chemotherapy (exposure to the tumor with drugs that are toxic to it) is prescribed for long courses. So it is possible to slow down and completely stop the development of cancer cells.

Viktor, 57 years old

Patient’s history

Six months ago, I discovered a non-healing sore under my tongue. Made an appointment with the dentist.

The prescribed treatment did not bring results, the ulcer increased in size. Victor was sent to the polyclinic of the regional oncology dispensary. Cytological and histological studies were carried out here (smears were taken from the oral mucosa and a piece of affected tissue was cut off for detailed study).

According to the results of the study, a diagnosis was made: histologically squamous cell carcinoma. Victor was admitted to the oncosurgical department No. 3. At the consultation, the doctors decided to perform an operation as the first stage of treatment.

Viktor underwent resection of the floor of his mouth.

The postoperative period passed without complications. During postoperative histological examination, Victor was found to have moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma (the cells of such a tumor look like healthy tissue and continue to perform their usual functions). Further treatment was decided to continue with a course of radiation therapy.

Viktor was discharged from the oncology dispensary. Now he is being treated by a radiologist.