Jaw cancer, also known as ameloblastic carcinoma of the jaw, is an unusual type of tumor that develops in the lower jaw and causes initial symptoms, such as progressive pain in the mouth and swelling of the jaw and skin area.
This type of cancer is usually diagnosed at an early stage due to apparent symptoms and after radiological examinations; however, when diagnosed in later stages, the risk of metastasis to other organs is higher, making treatment difficult.
- Symptoms of jaw cancer are characteristic and can even be noticed with the naked eye.
- Although the main characteristics are:.
Despite symptoms, in many cases, jaw cancer can appear asymptomatically and can develop silently.
Therefore, in the case of changes in the jaw area that take more than a week to disappear, it is recommended that the family doctor be consulted for diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
Jaw cancer treatment should be carried out in clinical centers specialized in oncology, which varies according to the degree of development of the tumor and the age of the patient.
However, in most cases, treatment is initiated by surgery to remove as much affected tissue as possible, and it may be necessary to place metal prostheses in the jaw to supplement the lack of blood. eliminate the remaining malignant cells, so the number of sessions varies depending on the degree of cancer development.
In cases where cancer is detected at an advanced stage and treatment is done early, metastasis can occur in other areas of the body, such as the lungs, liver, and brain; complicate treatment and reduce the chances of recovery.
In the first days of the surgery it can be difficult to open the mouth, so it is advisable to begin to tolerate food with a liquid diet and continue with a diet of soft consistency.