what are the treatment options?

Your treatment will be planned by a team of doctors and other health care professionals.

They will take into account:

• the type of tumour you have
• how thick the tumour is, and where it is
• whether it has spread – and where to
• your age and general state of health
• your wishes

Your doctor and other specialists will tell you about the benefits, risks and side effects of the treatment being offered.

You will need to agree to the treatment before it can start. This is called giving your consent. Don’t be afraid to ask questions if there is anything you don’t understand. Sometimes it helps to write these questions down and bring them with you to talk through with your doctor.

You may be offered…

Surgery
The aim of this is to remove the cancer with the least possible chance of it coming back. The type of surgery offered will depend on the location of the tumour. Most mouth cancer surgery will require some type of reconstruction - your doctor will explain about this in more detail where appropriate.

After surgery you are likely to have other treatments to reduce the chance of the cancer appearing elsewhere in the body. Treatment may be radiotherapy, chemotherapy - or often a combination of these.

For more information on surgery as a treatment for mouth cancer, click here.

Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy uses radiation to kill cancer cells. It may be given from inside or outside the body. Radiotherapy can be used on its own to treat mouth cancer, or following surgery, or combined with a course of chemotherapy. Your Oncologist will tell you the type of radiotherapy you will be having and how long this treatment will take.

For more information on radiotherapy as a treatment for mouth cancer, click here.

Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy uses special drugs to kill cancer cells. The chemotherapy drugs are usually given by an injection into the vein. This treatment can follow surgery and can be combined with radiotherapy. Chemotherapy may also be used to relieve symptoms and help people whose cancer can't be cured. Your Oncologist will advise you about the type of chemotherapy that is appropriate for you.

For more information on chemotherapy as a treatment for mouth cancer, click here.

These are some of the health professionals you may be in contact with during your treatment for mouth cancer:

• Oral & Maxillofacial surgeon
• ENT (Ear, nose and throat) surgeon
• Oncologist
• Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist
• GP
• Dentist or Prosthodontist
• Speech and Language Therapist
• Dietician
• Physiotherapist

For more information about who to contact for support, please click here.

There is more information about treatments in the cancer treatments part of this website.