[Treatment and prognosis of oral cancer]

Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common variety of malignant oral tumour. Most commonly oral carcinomas occur at the lateral tongue surfaces and at the anterior part of the floor of the mouth. If oral cancer is suspected, a dentist will refer the patient to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon who will perform a biopsy. When the diagnosis squamous cell carcinoma is established, the patient will be referred to a multidisciplinary head and neck oncological centre for additional diagnostics and treatment. Depending upon size, location and extent of the tumour and the presence or absence of regional metastases, the management may include surgical excision, radiotherapy or a combination of surgery and radiotherapy. The prognosis is mainly determined by the size of the tumour and regional lymph node involvement. Therefore, early detection is of utmost importance.