A SHOCKING time-lapse video reveals how a small white spot on the tongue can turn into tongue cancer over the years.
Tongue cancer is a rare type of head and neck cancer whose symptoms can be confused with mouth ulcers.
4
4
Now an AI-generated feature time lapse shows that cancer can develop subtly over the years, presenting as a small white patch known as leukoplakia.
White spots in the mouth or tongue that are irregularly shaped, raised and painless, but cannot be removed, can be caused by a number of things, such as tongue biting and burning, anemia and even scarlet fever, according to the NHS.
But Dr. Christopher Chang, who runs the private otolaryngology practice Fauquier Otorhinolaryngologist and created the scary time lapsewarned that around 10% of leukoplakia cases turn into cancer.
NHS GP Dr Rachel Ward, from Woodlands Medical Center in Didcot, previously said these white patches are “caused by chronic exposure to irritants such as smoking”.
“They are mostly benign, but can be precancerous and need to be checked out by your dentist or doctor,” she added.
The NHS recommends that you see a GP or dentist if a white spot in your mouth doesn’t go away after two weeks.
Fauquier ENT’s video spans over xx years, showing how a white spot on the side of the tongue can turn into leukoplakia after three years.
Over time, the stain on the tongue changes color, darkening to a grayish-purple hue.
In the eighth year, the stain is now dark pink color and reached the erythroplakia stage.
The term describes red lesions on the tongue, inner cheeks or roof of the mouth – which may appear in combination with leukoplakia – which may, in some cases, be cancerous.
Eythroplakia is more common in people who smoke and chew tobacco and it is important that you take care of it.
According to Dr. Chang, about 50% of erythroplakia cases turn into cancer.
What are the symptoms of tongue cancer?
Symptoms of tongue cancer may include:
- A red or white spot on the tongue that doesn’t go away
- Sore throat that doesn’t go away
- A sore (ulcer) or lump on the tongue that does not heal for more than three weeks
- Pain when swallowing
- Numbness in the mouth that doesn’t go away
- Pain or burning sensation in the tongue
- Problems moving your tongue or speaking
- A lump on the neck that has been there for more than three weeks
- Unexplained bleeding from the tongue that is not caused by tongue biting or other injury
- Ear pain (this is rare)
All of these symptoms can be caused by conditions other than cancer. But it is important that they are examined by your doctor or dentist.
Tongue cancer can be treated more successfully when diagnosed early.
Source: Cancer Research UK and Macmillan
By year 12, the spot on the side of his tongue had turned into a small purple lump, which Dr. Chang said resembles stage 1 tongue cancer.
If this nodule were not treated, it could progress to stage 2 cancer after a year, said the otolaryngologist.
The AI-generated time-lapse showed that the lump doubled in size.
In the 14th year, the time lapse showed what a stage 3 tongue cancer tumor could look like, continuing to swell and darken.
According to Dr. Chang, a small white spot on the tongue can progress to stage 4 tongue cancer if left untreated for 15 years.
“Obviously, this time lag cannot realistically be accomplished, as there is no way of knowing whether a lesion on the tongue will turn into cancer,” he wrote.
It comes after data from the Oral Health Foundation showed that mouth cancer cases in the UK have risen over the past decade.
What increases the risk of tongue cancer?
Although it’s not known exactly what causes tongue cancer, doing certain things can increase your chances of developing it, according to Macmillan Cancer Support.
That includes:
- Smoking or chewing tobacco
- Drinking large amounts of alcohol – the risk is greater the more years you drink
Your risk of developing tongue cancer is higher if you do these two things.
Some types of cancer that appear at the base of the tongue may also be associated with a human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.
This is a common group of viruses that can infect the mouth and throat and cause cancer.
According to Cancer research in the UKIt is estimated that around 80% of people will be infected by HPV at some point in their lives.
For most people, HPV doesn’t cause harm and get better on its own – you don’t get cancer like an infection.
But high-risk strains of the virus can cause changes in the mouth and throat that are more likely to become carcinogenic in the future. future.
The main type of HPV found in mouth and oropharyngeal cancer is HPV 16, the charity added.
You can become infected with HPV by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has the virus, and it can also spread through close skin-to-skin contact and sharing sex toys.
High-risk strains of the virus have also been linked to cervical, anal, penile, vulvar and vaginal cancer.
You can’t completely protect yourself against HPV, but using condoms and getting the HPV vaccine can help.
4
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
