Description

Lip cancer occurs in the skin of the lips. Lip cancer can occur anywhere along the upper or lower lip, but is most common in the lower lip. Lip cancer is considered a type of mouth (oral) cancer.

The majority of cancers of the lip are squamous cell carcinomas, which means they begin in the thin, flat cells in the middle and outer layers of the skin called squamous cells.

Lip cancer risk factors include excessive sun exposure and the use of tobacco. You can reduce your risk of cancer in the lips for protecting your face from the sun with a hat or sunblock, and by quitting smoking.

The treatment for lip cancer usually involves surgery to remove the cancer. For the small of cancer of the lip, surgery may be a minor procedure, with the minimum impact on your appearance.

For more cancer of the lip, more extensive surgery may be necessary. Careful planning and reconstruction can preserve your ability to eat and speak normally, and also to achieve a satisfactory appearance after the surgery.

Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of lip cancer include:

  • A flat or slightly elevated whitish discoloration of the lips
  • A sore on the lip that does not heal
  • Tingling, pain or numbness of the lips or the skin around the mouth

When to see a doctor

Make an appointment with your doctor if you have any persistent signs or symptoms that worry you.

Causes

It is not clear what causes cancer of the lip.

In general, cancer begins when cells develop changes (mutations) in the DNA. A cell's DNA contains the instructions that tell the cell what to do. The changes that tell the cell to begin to multiply uncontrollably and to continue living when healthy cells would die. The accumulation of cells that form a tumor that can invade and destroy normal body tissue.

Risk factors

Factors that may increase the risk of lip cancer include:

  • The consumption of tobacco of any kind, including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, chewing tobacco, and tobacco, among others
  • Fair skin
  • Excessive sun exposure to your lips
  • A weakened immune system

Prevention

To reduce the risk of cancer in the lips, you can:

  • Stop using tobacco or not the beginning. If you use tobacco, stop. If you don't smoke, don't start. The use of tobacco, whether smoked or chewed, exposes the cells on your lips hazardous chemicals that cause cancer.
  • Avoid the sun during the middle of the day. For many people in North America, the sun's rays are strongest between 10 am and 4 pm Schedule outdoor activities for other times of the day, even during the winter or when the sky is cloudy.
  • The use of a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30, even on cloudy days. Apply sunscreen generously, and reapply every two hours or more often if you're swimming or perspiring.
  • Avoid tanning beds. Tanning beds emit UV rays and can increase the risk of cancer in the lips.

Diagnosis

Tests and procedures used to diagnose cancer of the lip, which include:

  • Physical exam. During a physical exam, your doctor will examine your lips, mouth, face, and neck for signs of cancer. Your doctor will ask about your signs and symptoms.
  • The removal of a sample of tissue for analysis. During a biopsy, the doctor removes a small tissue sample for laboratory analysis. In the laboratory, a medical doctor who examines the tissue of the body (pathologist) can determine if cancer is present, the type of cancer and the level of aggression that is present in cancer cells.
  • Imaging tests. Imaging tests may be used to determine if the cancer has spread beyond the lips. Imaging tests may include computerized tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or positron emission tomography (PET).

Treatment

Lip cancer treatments include:

  • Surgery.Surgery is used to remove the cancer on the lips and a margin of healthy tissue that surrounds it. The surgeon then repairs the lip to allow normal eating, drinking and talking. Techniques to reduce the formation of scars are also used. For the small of cancer of the lip, the repair of the lips after surgery can be a simple process. But for the most cancer of the lip, a skilled plastic and reconstructive surgeons may be needed to repair the lip. Reconstructive surgery may involve the movement of tissues and skin to the face of another part of the body. Surgery for cancer of the lip can also involve the removal of cancerous lymph nodes in the neck.
  • The radiation therapy.Radiation therapy uses powerful energy beams, such as X-rays and protons, to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy for cancer of the lip can be used on its own or can be used after the surgery. The radiation may be aimed only at his lip, or it can also be directed to the lymph nodes in the neck. Radiation therapy for cancer of the lip more often comes from a large machine that precisely focuses the rays of energy. But in some cases, radiation can be placed directly on the lips and leave it in place for a short time. This procedure, called brachytherapy allows doctors to use higher doses of radiation.
  • Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy uses powerful drugs to kill cancer cells. For lip cancer, chemotherapy is sometimes used in combination with radiation therapy to increase the efficacy of the treatment. In advanced cases of lip cancer that has spread to other areas of the body, chemotherapy may be used to reduce the signs and symptoms and make you feel more comfortable.
  • Targeted drug therapy. Targeted drug treatments focus on specific weaknesses present within the cancer cells. By blocking these weaknesses, targeted drug treatments can cause cancer cells to die. Targeted drug therapy is usually combined with chemotherapy.
  • Immunotherapy. Immunotherapy is a drug treatment that helps your immune system to fight cancer. Of your body to fight diseases of the immune system may not attack the cancer because the cancer cells produce proteins that help to hide from the immune system cells. Immunotherapy works by interfering with that process. For lip cancer, immunotherapy may be considered when the cancer is advanced and other treatments are not an option.

Surgery. Surgery is used to remove the cancer on the lips and a margin of healthy tissue that surrounds it. The surgeon then repairs the lip to allow normal eating, drinking and talking. Techniques to reduce the formation of scars are also used.

For the small of cancer of the lip, the repair of the lips after surgery can be a simple process. But for the most cancer of the lip, a skilled plastic and reconstructive surgeons may be needed to repair the lip. Reconstructive surgery may involve the movement of tissues and skin to the face of another part of the body.

Surgery for cancer of the lip can also involve the removal of cancerous lymph nodes in the neck.

The radiation therapy. Radiation therapy uses powerful energy beams, such as X-rays and protons, to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy for cancer of the lip can be used on its own or can be used after the surgery. The radiation may be aimed only at his lip, or it can also be directed to the lymph nodes in the neck.

Radiation therapy for cancer of the lip more often comes from a large machine that precisely focuses the rays of energy. But in some cases, radiation can be placed directly on the lips and leave it in place for a short time. This procedure, called brachytherapy allows doctors to use higher doses of radiation.

Coping and support

A cancer diagnosis can change your life forever. Each person finds his own way to deal with the emotional and physical changes cancer brings. But when you're first diagnosed with cancer, it is sometimes difficult to know what to do next.

Here are some ideas to help you cope:

  • Learn enough about cancer to make decisions about your care. Ask your doctor about your cancer, including treatment options and, if you like, your prognosis. As you learn more about cancer, you can be more confident in making treatment choices.
  • Keep friends and family close. Keep your close relationships strong will help you deal with your cancer. Friends and family can provide the practical support you need, such as help to take care of your house if you're in the hospital. And that you can serve as emotional support when you feel overwhelmed by the cancer.
  • Find someone to talk to.Find a good listener who is willing to listen to you talk about your hopes and fears. This can be a friend or family member. The concern and understanding of a counselor, medical social worker, clergy member or cancer support group may also be useful. Ask your doctor about support groups in your area. Other sources of information are the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society.

Find someone to talk to. Find a good listener who is willing to listen to you talk about your hopes and fears. This can be a friend or family member. The concern and understanding of a counselor, medical social worker, clergy member or cancer support group may also be useful.

Ask your doctor about support groups in your area. Other sources of information are the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society.

Preparing for your appointment

Start by making an appointment with your family doctor if you have any of the signs or symptoms that worry you. If your doctor suspects you may have cancer of the lip, you may be referred to a physician that specializes in diseases that affect the skin (dermatologist) or a doctor that specializes in diseases that affect the ears, nose and throat (ent).

Because appointments can be brief, and because there is often a lot of ground to cover, it is a good idea to be well prepared. Here's some information to help you prepare, and what to expect from your doctor.

What you can do

  • Be aware of any pre-appointment restrictions. At the time you make the appointment, be sure to ask if there is anything that you need to do in advance, such as restrict your diet.
  • Write down any symptoms you're experiencing, including any that may seem unrelated to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment.
  • Write down key personal information, including any major stresses or recent life changes.
  • Make a list of all medications, vitamins or supplements you are taking.
  • Consider the possibility of a family member or friend. Sometimes it can be difficult to take in all the information provided during an appointment. Someone who accompanies you may remember something that you missed or forgot.
  • Write questions to ask their doctor.

Your time with your doctor is limited, so preparing a list of questions will help you to make the most of your time together. The list of questions from most important to least important in case time runs out. For cancer of the lip, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:

  • Can you explain why my test results mean?
  • Do you recommend other tests or procedures?
  • What is the stage of my cancer on the lips?
  • What are my treatment options?
  • What side effects are likely to be with each treatment?
  • How will the treatment affect my daily life?
  • What treatment options do you think are the best for me?
  • How likely is it that I'm going to achieve remission with the treatment that you recommend?
  • When do I have to make a decision about my treatment?
  • Should I get a second opinion from a specialist? What will that cost, and will my insurance cover it?
  • Are there brochures or other printed material that I can take with me? What sites do you recommend?

In addition to the questions that you've prepared to ask your doctor, do not hesitate to ask other questions that occur to you.

What to expect from your doctor

Your doctor may ask you a series of questions. Be ready to answer them may allow time later to cover other points you want to address. Your doctor may ask:

  • When did you first begin experiencing symptoms?
  • The symptoms been continuous or occasional?
  • How severe are the symptoms?
  • What, if anything, seems to improve your symptoms?
  • What, if anything, appears to worsen your symptoms?
Symptoms and treatment of cancer in the Lips