Oral Cancer Stages: Survival Rates and Treatment Approaches

What are the stages of Oral cancer?

Oral cancer is a type of cancer often classified using a staging system called the TNM system, which generally stands for Tumor, Node, and Metastasis. This grading system helps to determine how far the cancer has spread and its severity in people.

Stage 0 (Carcinoma in Situ)

In stage 0, the tumor is found to have small and typically 2 cm or less than 2 cm in size, these tumors have not spread to lymph nodes or other parts of the body.

Treatment: Surgical removal of the tumor or laser therapy is usually performed to remove the abnormal cells before they can invade the deeper tissues.

Survival rates: The survival rate for stage 0 for oral cancer is nearly 100%, as it is localized and it can effectively be treated with minimal medical intervention.

Stage I:

In stage I, the tumor is small, typically 2 cm or less in size, and it has not spread to lymph nodes or other parts of the body.

Treatments: The surgical removal of the tumor, usually followed by radiation therapy to ensure complete removal of cancerous cells.

Survival rates: The five year survival rate for stage I cancer is approximately 85-99%.

Stage II 

In stage II, the tumor grows larger, the size ranges between 2 and 4 cm, but it's still confined to the breast area where it has started and has not spread to lymph nodes or distant parts of the body.

Treatment: There are treatment options, including surgery, radiation, or a combination of both treatments. In some cases, chemotherapy may also be considered depending on the tumor’s location and type.

Survival rates: The survival rate for Stage II is approximately around 70%, as the cancer is still localized but larger than Stage I.

Stage III 

The tumor in stage III may be larger than 4 cm or have spread to a lymph node nearby but not distant organs. 

Treatment: The treatment is more aggressive and might involve surgery to remove the tumor, followed by chemotherapy and radiation. The doctor might also recommend targeted therapy if the cancer has specific molecular characteristics.

Survival rates: Many studies have suggested that the five-year survival rate for Stage III oral cancer ranges from 50 to 60%, depending on the tumor’s response to treatment and whether there are other complicating factors.

Stage IV

Stage IV oral cancer is known as the most advanced stage, where the cancer has spread to surrounding tissues like lymph nodes, or other distant organs including lungs and liver.

Treatments: The treatment at this stage is often considered complex. It might involve a combination of treatments, which include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. The main goal is to get palliative, or achieve remission and focusing on controlling the cancer and improving quality of life.

Survival rates: The average survival rate of Stage IV oral cancer is generally around 30-40%, in some cases, it can be less than this. It can vary widely depending on the extent of cancer metastasis, patient’s overall physical health, and their response to treatment.

How to prevent developing oral cancer in people?

Many studies have suggested that oral cancer can be prevented, and it can play a crucial role in preventing these cancers.

Here’s how you can prevent these types of cancer with the following tips. Including:

• If you are someone who likes to smoke tobacco, chew tobacco or use a water pipe, or vape, while cutting these habits can reduce your chances of developing these cancers.
• If you are someone who drinks alcohol excessively, then stop or limit the consumption of alcohol, as it will reduce the risk of cancer development.
• If you are generally exposed to sun and outside, then consider using sunscreen creams and lotions, UV-AB blocking sunscreen of your face and other exposed areas of your body. 
• Get timely cancer prevention vaccines, such as HPV vaccine and Hepatitis B vaccines.
• Try to follow a healthy, balanced diet.
• If you are facing any issues in your teeth, then consider getting routine dental checkups. People between the ages of 20 and 40 should get a routine dental checkup every three years and get an annual examination above the age of 40.