mouth cancer

[raka123]

can oral cancer come out in all the four sides i.e. upper and lower sides of both cheeks at a given time ?  or it starts at a one location and then spreads all over mouth ?  

my similar question is for leukoplakia also ? can it emerge out at all 4 locations as mentioned above ?

I have heard that both are very localised i.e. start at one location .

also what is chance of oral cancer in non smoking non tobacco non alcoholic person ?

[Fernando Roque, MD]

Hi.  Most types of oral leukoplakia do not have symptoms other than the white patches.  Fungal infection (e.g. Candidiasis) can also manifest as white patches.  The mouth lesions from fungal infection may also be associated with a stinging or burning sensation.  If those lesions really bother you, I strongly suggest that you have those examined by another doctor.  A swab or a biopsy of those lesions may need to be done.

[raka123]

hi doc,

I am not chewing any stuff like snuff or betel nuts neither i smoke or drink.

I dont have epstein barr virus infection. I dont have hairy leukoplakia as such.

Actually i am undergoing a treatment for my allergy with anti histamines. The allergy is of house dust mites. My ENT doc who is also specialist on head and neck cancers has ruled out the presence of cancer and says it minor leukoplakia and nothing to worry . she has adviced to show to her every 3 months.
it does not look like leukoplakia images i have seen on internet as it is not white. there are few raised spots of skin colour + white colour mix which are not healing past 3-4 months.
but i am worried as i hv got it on all 4 corners of cheek and nothing on toungue. it is very minor but still i am bit worried as frustrated.
what are other symtoms to leukoplakia ? has it got burning sensation ?

[Fernando Roque, MD]

Hi.  You're right.  Oral cancers usually start in one location but may grow to involve the entire mouth.  However, there are certain varieties of oral cancers which tend to infiltrate the tissue, rather than grow as a distinct mass.  With these infiltrating types, it is theoretically possible for it to spread to both cheeks without the presence of an obvious mass.  Leukoplakia may also involve multiple areas in the mouth.

If you don't smoke nor drink alcoholic beverages, then you probably have less risk of developing oral cancer.  But there are other factors which may increase your risk, such as chewing snuff or betel nuts, or having Epstein Barr virus infection, which is common among Asians.

The only sure way to identify if a mouth lesion is cancerous or not is to have a biopsy done.  If you have a mouth lesion and you're worried about it, go to a doctor and have it examined.