429. Smoking causes 19 out of 20 tumors of the mouth

Among people who develop cancer of the head and neck, 95% are smokers or have a history of smoking. The study of the Cancer Institute of the State of São Paulo (ICESP) also shows that men account for 90% of those affected, reports the Estadão.com.br website.

The survey was conducted with 327 patients at the institute. The data refer to tumors affecting the aerodigestive tract, ie, mouth, pharynx, larynx and trachea. According to the oncologist ICESP Gilberto Castro, 65% of the cases correspond to tumors in the oral cavity and pharynx.

Smoking is the main risk factor for cervical cancer. The consumption of alcoholic beverages, especially distilled, also increases risk. Generally, the two habits are associated, said Fernando Luiz Dias, head of the Head and Neck Surgery of National Cancer Institute of Brazil (INCA). The action is cumulative. The time that the patient smoked and the amount of cigarettes a day makes all the difference.

The expert explained that the problem is more common in men not only because they smoke more, but also because they are careless of their oral health. The presence of plaque and broken teeth that cause chronic trauma on the cheek, for example, also increase the risk. Infection with human papillomavirus (HPV), which occurs through sexual intercourse, can cause throat cancer.

Because they are in visible locations, these tumors can be detected early, even through self-examination. But according to the oncologist ICESP, over 70% of patients who seek treatment are already in advanced stage disease. If treated early, the chances of cure are good. But like most is late, 70% will die within five years. Often those who survive are left with consequences affecting the quality of life, he says.

In addition to lumps in the neck that lasts for more than two weeks, other symptoms of this type of cancer are red or white patches, mouth ulcers with bleeding and delayed healing, changes in voice or persistent hoarseness and difficulty swallowing.

POP - Portal de Oncologia

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Please continue to smoke. What my tax money can then be diverted to pay for the treatment of cancers that you have come to this, instead they can be channeled for the prevention and treatment of dental caries of children and young people. The Portuguese government to thank for their addiction.