Treatments / Oral & maxillofacial surgery
Oral Cancer Screening & Consultation
Oral cancer is far more treatable when it is found early, and early lesions are usually painless. The clinic provides screening, consultation, biopsy of suspicious lesions, and follow-up care for patients who have had surgery elsewhere.
Who this is for
- An ulcer or patch in the mouth that has not healed in three weeks
- A lump, a red or white patch, or unexplained bleeding
- Tobacco or areca nut use, where regular screening is worthwhile
- Patients who have had cancer surgery and need follow-up review
What actually happens
- Examination of the whole mouth, tongue, floor of mouth and neck
- Biopsy where a lesion needs a diagnosis
- Onward referral to an oncology centre where treatment is needed
- Post-surgical review and follow-up care at the clinic
What happens during a screening
A screening is an examination. There is nothing to prepare and nothing is cut. The lips, gums, cheeks, the roof of the mouth, the floor of the mouth and the top, sides and underside of the tongue are looked at in good light, and felt for any lump or thickening. The neck and the area under the jaw are gently felt for swollen glands. If you wear a denture, it is taken out so the gums under it can be seen.
You will be asked about tobacco, gutka, khaini, paan, supari and alcohol, whether anything in your mouth has changed, and for how long. Answer honestly. It changes what the dentist looks for, and nobody is there to judge you.
If nothing needs a closer look, you are told so and advised when to come back, and to come back sooner if anything changes. If something does, the next step is explained before anything is done.
Signs that should not wait for a routine check
Book an examination if any of these has lasted more than three weeks: an ulcer or sore that has not healed, a white or red patch that does not rub off, a lump or thickening in the cheek, tongue or gum, or a lump in the neck.
Have these looked at too: numbness or pain in the tongue or lip with no clear cause, bleeding in the mouth with no clear cause, a tooth that has become loose for no obvious reason, a socket that has not healed after an extraction, a denture that no longer fits, pain in one ear with no ear problem, difficulty swallowing or moving the tongue, or a hoarse voice that does not settle. A mouth that has slowly become stiff and harder to open, or that burns with spicy food, is worth mentioning as well, especially if you chew supari.
Early changes often do not hurt. That is why these signs matter even when you feel well.
Who should be checked more often
Anyone who smokes or chews tobacco, uses gutka, khaini or pan masala, or chews supari, even without tobacco. Drinking alcohol alongside tobacco raises the risk further. People who have been treated for oral cancer, or for a patch that could turn into it, need regular review too.
There is no single interval that suits everyone, so ask how often you should be checked. Stopping tobacco and areca nut lowers the risk over time, whatever your age.
If something needs a biopsy
A biopsy is how a patch or ulcer is properly diagnosed. A small piece of tissue is taken under local anaesthetic and sent to a laboratory. It is a short procedure done at the clinic, and the area is usually sore for a few days.
The result takes some days, and you are told when to expect it and how you will hear. Many turn out not to be cancer, and some show early changes that are better treated or watched now, which is why the biopsy is worth doing. If the result shows cancer, we help you reach an oncology centre for treatment, and your follow-up afterwards can continue here.
Not sure whether a sore in your mouth is worth a visit? Our guide on ulcers and patches that do not heal explains the three-week rule and what a biopsy actually involves.
Dr. Bhargav Kuchu examines you, and where the case calls for it he seeks the opinion of Dr. Swetha Basu, our consultant in oral medicine, radiology and orofacial pain.
Questions people ask
Does an oral cancer screening hurt?
It should not. It is a look at the mouth and a gentle feel of the mouth and neck, and if a sore spot is tender, just say so. Nothing is removed during the screening. If a biopsy is needed, that is a separate step, done under local anaesthetic.
How long does an oral cancer screening take?
The examination itself takes a few minutes, as part of a consultation. Allow some extra time for questions and for anything the dentist wants to explain.
I chew supari but not tobacco. Should I still be checked?
Yes. Areca nut on its own raises the risk of mouth cancer and of a slow stiffening of the mouth lining. Tell the dentist how often you chew it and for how many years.
Is cancer surgery done at STHIRA?
No. Screening, consultation, biopsy and follow-up care after surgery are done at the clinic. If you need an operation, we help you get to an oncology centre for it.
