Oral Cancer Diagnosis
Learn More About Oral Cancer Diagnosis: Chat with Us | Email Us
If you are experiencing any symptoms of oral cancer, you should set up an appointment with your doctor. Your doctor will likely start the visit with a visual examination. He or she will look inside your mouth for any discoloration, lumps, or nodules. Your doctor may also want to review dental X-rays for any abnormalities.
Based on the doctor’s findings, an incisional biopsy may be required. During this procedure, the doctor will remove a piece of any growth or tumor. The pathologist will then examine the tissue sample for abnormalities.
In other cases, or alongside an incisional biopsy, your doctor may take a fine needle aspiration cytology. During this minor procedure, the doctor takes a cell sample using a small needle attached to a syringe. This procedure may be appropriate when the lymph nodes are enlarged.
To check for cancer in various parts of the body, your doctor may decide to use one of the following imaging modalities:
Computed Tomography (CT) scan - A CT scan is an X-ray procedure that uses a computer to generate three-dimensional, cross-sectional images of the body. In some cases, a CT scan can show diseased tissue and other affected areas in the lungs that conventional X-rays may miss. CT scans are frequently used in lung cancer diagnosis and treatment to pinpoint the location of cancerous cells in the body. A CT scan is also known as a computed axial tomography scan, or CAT scan.
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan – A sophisticated nuclear scanning technique used to create detailed, computerized pictures of areas inside the body. The PET scan can be used to detect cancerous tissue and cells in the lungs that may not always be found through CT or MRI. When a PET scan is performed, the individual is first injected with a glucose (sugar) solution that contains a very small amount of radioactive material. The PET scanner is then able to "see" damaged or cancerous cells where the glucose is being taken up (since cancer cells often use more glucose than normal cells) and the rate at which the tumor is using the glucose (which can help determine the tumor grade).
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) - MRI is an imaging technique used to create detailed, cross-sectional pictures of the inside of the body. Using radiofrequency waves, powerful magnets, and a computer, MRI systems are able to distinguish between normal and diseased tissue. Thus, MRI plays an important role in lung cancer diagnosis and staging.
Next Topic: Oral Cancer Staging
