Tongue Cancer

Tongue cancer occurs when cells on your tongue start to grow and divide uncontrollably. Your tongue starts at your hyoid bone (located where your chin meets your neck) and ends at the floor of your mouth.

When cancer affects the front part of your tongue (the part you can see), healthcare providers call it oral cancer or oral tongue cancer. If you develop cancer on the back portion of your tongue (the part you can’t see), providers call it oropharyngeal cancer or base of tongue cancer.

Types of tongue cancer

Several types of cancer can affect your tongue, but the most common is squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Squamous cell carcinoma starts in the squamous cells in the outer layer of your skin. Typically, SCC affects the parts of your body most often exposed to the sun. But it can also affect mucous membranes like the inside of your mouth.

How common is tongue cancer?

Tongue cancer is rare overall, making up less than 1% of new diagnoses in the United States. But it’s one of the most common types of head and neck cancers.

Tongue cancer is twice as common in people assigned male at birth (AMAB). It’s also more common in people age 40 and over.

Symptoms

When to see a doctor

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Complications

Blood clots are a dangerous complication of atrial fibrillation (AFib). Blood clots can lead to stroke.

The risk of stroke from AFib increases as you grow older. Other health conditions also may increase the risk of a stroke due to AFib. These conditions include:

High blood pressure.
Diabetes.
Heart failure.
Some types of heart valve disease.

Blood thinners are commonly prescribed to prevent blood clots and strokes in people with atrial fibrillation.

Prevention

Healthy lifestyle choices can reduce the risk of heart disease and may prevent atrial fibrillation (AFib). Here are some basic heart-healthy tips:

Control high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
Don't smoke or use tobacco.
Eat a diet that's low in salt and saturated fat.
Exercise at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week unless your health care team says not to.
Get good sleep. Adults should aim for 7 to 9 hours daily.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Reduce and manage stress.

By Freedmans Health Clinic Staff

Living with atrial fibrillation?

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