Oral Cancer

Oral cancer is the sixth most common cancer worldwide. And India accounts for 1/3 of the world's oral cancer cases. One prominent reason for this vast number can be excessive tobacco use in rural and urban India. So let us try to understand what oral cancer is? What factors lead to this type of cancer, and what symptoms should we look out for. The definition of oral cancer is a cancerous growth of cells in the oral cavity. Cancerous growth can be identified as an abnormal lump or patch that grows gradually if not detected in time.

Oral cancer sometimes referred to as mouth cancer, is a sub-category under head and neck cancer. Oral cancer predominately occurs due to the growth (mutation) of squamous cells present in the lining of the oral cavity. Mutation occurs when a cell goes against its normal behaviour and keeps on growing. Thus, it damages and kills the nearby cells. The mass of the dead cells forms a cancerous lump that extends to the other parts of the mouth. Usually, the parts that are the most affected by oral cancer are the lips, gums, mouth floor, roof of the mouth(hard and soft palate), lining of the cheeks, sinus, and throat. Thankfully, this type of cancer is positively treatable if diagnosed at the early stages.

As said before; it is important to diagnose oral cancer to treat it successfully. To do that, you should be aware of its symptoms. The following are some most common symptoms of oral cancer:

• An abnormal lump in the mouth that doesn't go away
• Red or white patches in the mouth
• Difficulty in speaking, swallowing, and drinking
• Soreness and bumps in the mouth or on the lips
• Pain in the ear
• A change in the structure of your teeth
• Feeling of numbness in the mouth and on the face
• Bleeding in the mouth for no apparent reason
• Sudden weight loss.

Experts worldwide have observed the factors that may lead to oral cancer to come up with effective treatments. Its diagnosis always starts with a physical examination of the mouth cavity. Suppose the doctor finds any suspicious sore or lump in the mouth during the inspection. In that case, they do a biopsy to determine the nature of the lump. CT scans or MRIs can also be used to check if cancer has grown to the other parts of the throat and neck. Oral cancer treatment primarily includes surgery if the tumour is in the early stage. If the tumour is in a more advanced stage, even after the surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or both are used to kill the cancerous cells. The treatment choice depends upon the patient’s health, stage of cancer, and the part of the mouth it is affecting.

Even though the reason behind cell mutation that causes oral cancer is unknown, some factors lead a person more toward oral cancer. For example, statistics suggest men are twice as likely to suffer from oral cancer as women. Also, a person older than 55 is more likely to develop mouth cancer than a person younger than 40. The main reason behind these astonishing stats is that generally, men smoke and drink a lot more than women. Although many factors lead to oral cancer, you can prevent most of them by taking specific steps.

• Avoid all forms of tobacco consumption
• Consume alcohol in moderation or refrain from it altogether
• Wear sunscreen on the face and lips whenever you are outdoors
• Include a lot of vegetables and fruits in your diet
• Regular self-examination or a once six-month dental check-up can help you diagnose cancer at its early stage.

• Life is uncertain:

  It is highly recommended to take all the necessary preventative measures for cancer. But, life happens, and at such times health insurance can come to your help as financial and emotional support.

• Ever-increasing medical expenses:

  Fortunately, medical science has been growing a lot in terms of advanced treatments for cancer. But, with advanced treatment comes a heavy medical bill. For example, oral cancer treatment includes procedures like chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which can strain the pocket if you do not have health insurance.

• Specialised health coverage:

  Disease-specific health insurance, like Oral cancer insurance, focuses exclusively on your health and medical needs and provides maximum coverage. Therefore, it makes sense to buy disease-specific insurance if you already have the disease.

Inclusions are an essential factor you must look for when buying health insurance. To know more about the inclusion of the policy, you can read the insurance documents. Here are some standard inclusions for oral cancer-specific health insurance.

• In hospital charges:

  The treatment of oral cancer is often daycare, but treatments like chemotherapy sometimes need hospitalisation. The hospital room charges, fees of the doctor, and hospital services are covered under the health insurance coverage.

• Post-hospital expenses and treatment:

  Even after the surgery, you may have to visit your doctor several times for regular check-ups and treatment. All of this is financed by the health insurance company.

Some standard exclusions in the oral cancer-specific health insurance are

• The diagnosis charges:

  The cost for diagnostic tests for oral cancer like a biopsy, CT scan, an MRI is usually not covered in the medical coverage of the insurance

• Pre-Existing condition:

  Suppose you have oral cancer and wish to get treatment finance as soon as you purchase health insurance. Unfortunately, it won't work since you'll have to wait one month after buying the insurance.