The three main treatments for mouth cancer are surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Surgery may be used to remove tumors in earlier stages of the disease, or radiation may be used to kill them. In later stages, the two treatments are often used together to ensure all of the cancerous cells are gone. Chemotherapy tends to be used in more advanced stages of oral cancer, particularly if it has spread to surrounding tissues. Patients may also receive supportive care to help relieve some of the side effects of treatment and to recover abilities they might lose.
Of the treatments for mouth cancer, surgery is often preferred when the disease is caught early. A surgeon will remove the tumor, as well as any surrounding tissues like lymph nodes or blood vessels that might be at risk of having cancerous cells in them. Surgery is also often used in later stages of oral cancer, but is typically combined with one or more other treatments such as radiation to ensure all of the cancer is destroyed.
Radiation is another of the treatments for mouth cancer that is commonly used. It can be done externally, by aiming a highly targeted beam at the tumor, or it can be done internally by inserting radioactive seeds into the tumor, a process called brachytherapy. Early stages of oral cancer may only require radiation to destroy a tumor. In later stages, radiation is often combined with surgery for the best results; sometimes radiation is done before surgery to shrink the tumor, but more often it is done afterward to kill any remaining cancer cells.
The last of the main treatments for mouth cancer is chemotherapy, which involves injecting powerful drugs into the patient to kill the cancer cells. This form of treatment is less common but may be necessary when the tumor is large, widespread, or has invaded surrounding tissues. It is typically combined with surgery, radiation, or both, depending on the patient's situation.
Supportive care is often a part of mouth cancer treatment. The main medical treatments listed above often have unpleasant side effects like pain, nausea, or fatigue, so doctors often provide treatment to help alleviate those symptoms. Emotional or psychological support may be necessary for people having trouble coping with their cancer. Patients may also need to work with a physical therapist or speech therapist if their treatment affects their ability to use their mouth normally to talk, chew, or swallow.