ENT Head & Neck Surgery Center

Rm 02, 5/F., Kai Seng Commerical Centre,
4-6 Hankow Road, TST Kln, HK
(near Kowloon Hotel)
Tel: (852) 3100 0555
Fax: (852) 3100 0556

Lawrence Chow / ENT Doctor

editor

Tongue Cancers: Can It Be Prevented?

Tongue cancer is a type of head and neck cancer that affects the tongue. This type of cancer occurs when there is an abnormal growth of cells on the surface or inside the tissue that lines part of the mouth, which includes the skin inside the mouth, gums, and lining of the mouth.

The five-year relative survival rate for tongue cancer depends on its stage. If the cancer has not spread beyond the tongue, the five-year relative survival rate is 78%. If the cancer has only spread locally to lymph nodes in the neck, the relative survival rate is about 63%. If it has spread far, the five-year relative survival rate is about 36%. It is clear that the tongue cancer can be treated with early diagnosis.

 

Be sure to watch out for symptoms such as the following:

Symptoms of tongue cancer may include pain, difficulty swallowing, or red patches in the white part of the mouth. It usually takes years for these symptoms to appear, which is why it’s important to be aware of them and discuss them with your ENT doctor when they do.

Prevention is better than cure. Hence, it’s important to know what your risk factors are in order to prevent it or detect it early on if you do develop symptoms.

 

What causes the tongue cancer and who’s at risk?

The following behaviors and conditions can increase your risk of the tongue cancer:

  • smoking or chewing tobacco
  • heavy drinking
  • being infected with human papillomavirus (HPV)
  • chewing betel
  • family history of tongue or other mouth cancers
  • personal history of certain cancers, such as other squamous cell cancers
  • poor diet low in fruits and vegetables
  • constant irritation from jagged teeth or ill-fitting dentures

Tongue cancers are most common in people over 55 years old.

Prevention of tongue cancer

You can reduce your risk of tongue cancer by avoiding activities leading to tongue cancer, and by taking care of your mouth. They include:

  • stop using tobacco
  • avoid drinking excessive alcohol
  • don’t chew betel
  • get a full course of the HPV vaccine
  • avoid oral sex
  • include lots of fruits and vegetables in your diet
  • make sure brushing your teeth daily and floss regularly
  • see your dentist regularly

 

Did you find the information useful? If so, continue reading our ENT posts.

 

For details of our ENT services, diagnosis, and treatment, please consult our ENT specialist.

 

 

Source:

HK ENT Specialist Ltd.

Hong Kong based ENT clinic centre

For ENT Services, Audiology & Speech Therapy,

Sleep Disordered Breathing Management,

Hearing Aid Prescription & Medical Cosmetic Services

https://www.hkentspecialist.hk

Tongue Cancers: Diagnosis and Consultation Guide

Tongue cancer is a rare type of cancer that affects the tongue. Symptoms of tongue cancer may include pain, difficulty swallowing, or red patches in the white part of the mouth. It usually takes years for these symptoms to appear, which is why it’s important to be aware of them and discuss them with your ENT doctor when they do. If you have any of these symptoms, or notice any white or red patches in your mouth, it’s important to go to the doctor right away.

 

How do Doctor Diagnose Tongue Cancer?

Tongue cancers can be a result of a person’s genetic makeup, infections from HPV or HSV, a tobacco user, a poor immune system, uncontrolled diabetes and even alcohol consumption, etc.

Hence, the ENT doctor will take a medical history and ask specific questions about symptoms to make a diagnosis. A patient’s tongue and neck will be examined and a small, long-handled mirror will be used to look down the throat. There are several tests to be done.

It is generally diagnosed through a biopsy, which usually involves a doctor sticking a thin needle into the tumor. During this process, the doctor will try to remove as much tissue as possible. If the doctor thinks that it’s difficult to remove more tissue, they may have to take more samples from different areas on the tongue. This is called a surgical biopsy. They may also do a biopsy by injecting material into the tumor or cutting out a small piece of it and then looking at it under a microscope.

Another way doctors diagnose tongue cancer is through imaging scans such as X-rays, computed tomography (CT) scans, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These scans can show how deep the tumor goes

 

Consultation Tips to help you get the most

  1. Remember the reason for your visit
  2. Write down questions you want answered before your visit
  3. Bring someone with you to help you ask questions and remember what your doctor tells you
  4. Write down the name of a new diagnosis, and any new medicines, treatments, or tests, any new instructions from your doctor
  5. Know why a new medicine or treatment is prescribed, and its side effects
  6. Ask if your condition can be treated in other ways
  7. Know why a test or procedure is recommended and what the results could mean
  8. Know what to expect if you do not take the medicine or test
  9. Write down the date, time, and purpose for a follow-up appointment if any
  10. Know how to contact your doctor for further questions

 

Did you find the information useful? If so, continue reading our ENT posts.

 

For details of our ENT services, diagnosis, and treatment, please consult our ENT specialist.

 

 

Source:

HK ENT Specialist Ltd.

Hong Kong based ENT clinic centre

For ENT Services, Audiology & Speech Therapy,

Sleep Disordered Breathing Management,

Hearing Aid Prescription & Medical Cosmetic Services

https://www.hkentspecialist.hk

A Guide To The Stages Of Tongue Cancer And Treatments

Tongue cancer is a form of cancer that starts in the cells near your tongue. This type of cancer is often caused by smoking or chewing tobacco but it can happen to anyone. It’s more common in males than females. The two most common types of tongue cancers are squamous cell carcinoma and verrucous carcinoma. It is sometimes found as a result from human papilloma virus, which can be contagious through bodily fluids or skin contact with a person who has it. There are also people who have an increased risk for developing this cancer due to hereditary factors.

 

How is Tongue Cancer Treated?

Tongue cancer is typically treated with surgery to remove cancerous tissue. If the cancer has grown deep into the mouth, it may require cutting part of the tongue or jawbone to get all of the tumor. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are also two main types of treatment for people with advanced cancers.

 

Understanding the Stages of Tongue Cancer

Tongue cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the lining of the mouth or throat. It can also spread to lymph nodes, cervical glands, and other parts of the body. There are 4 stages of tongue cancer:

  • Stage 0 (in situ): The cancer is not present in the cells but is only in the basement membrane, the connective tissue that surrounds them;
  • Stage I: The cancer has grown into the tissues around it and may be in one to two layers deep in the tongue;
  • Stage II: The cancer has grown into three or more layers in depth in the tongue and may have grown into surrounding tissues;
  • Stage III: The cancer has grown through three or more layers and has spread to organs such as lymph nodes or muscles around your head.

 

Treatment Options for Stage 1, 2 and 3 Tongue Cancer

Treatment options for stage 1, 2 and 3 tongue cancer are determined by the number of lymph nodes affected. For stage 2, 2-3 lymph nodes should be removed while for stage 3, all lymph nodes should be removed.

 

Treatment Options for Stage 4 Tongue Cancer

The tongue is made up of tissues that secrete fluids or food. The cancer cells can invade these tissues to form a tumor that blocks the ability to swallow or breathe. Stage 4 patients are likely to experience bleeding in the mouth, difficulty swallowing, and pain. Treatment options for this stage include:

  1. surgery,
  2. radiation therapy,
  3. chemotherapy,
  4. palliative care (lifestyle changes),
  5. clinical trials (experimental drugs).

 

Side Effects Of Surgical Removal Of Tongue Cancer

The side effects of surgical removal of tongue cancer can vary depending on the extent and location of the cancer. For some people, speech therapy and physical therapy may be prescribed to help with swallowing and speaking after surgery.

 

Conclusion

In conclusion, the study found that if a person is diagnosed with tongue cancer and they go through radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and surgery, their chances of surviving are much higher. There are many treatments for tongue cancer, but the best way to treat it is prevention. Be careful about what you eat, drink, and smoke. Minimize your contact with chemicals and radiation.

 

Did you find the information useful? If so, continue reading our ENT posts.

 

For details of our ENT services, diagnosis, and treatment, please consult our ENT specialist.

 

Source:

HK ENT Specialist Ltd.

Hong Kong based ENT clinic centre

For ENT Services, Audiology & Speech Therapy,

Sleep Disordered Breathing Management,

Hearing Aid Prescription & Medical Cosmetic Services

https://www.hkentspecialist.hk

What is tongue cancer and its Symptoms? Who is Likely to Get tongue cancer?

What is tongue cancer?

Tongue cancer is a form of head and neck cancer that involves the tongue. Although it is one of the rarest forms of cancer, it’s also one of the deadliest. The five-year survival rate for this type of cancer is only about 10 to 15%. Moreover, the symptoms may not be too obvious at first and can vary from person to person. In this article, you will learn more about tongue cancer , its type and symptoms, and who is likely to get tongue cancer.

Generally, there are two types of tongue cancer:

  1. Cancer of the oral tongue: The front two-thirds of the tongue that you can stick out is called the oral tongue.
  2. Cancer of the base of the tongue: The base is the back one-third of the tongue that extends down the throat.

 

Symptoms of Tongue Cancer

Tongue cancer is an umbrella term for any cancer that starts in the tongue. The tongue has lots of little bumps on its surface, which make it easier for the cancer to spread. As there are two common types of tongue cancer, we may list the symptoms seperately as below:

  1. 1. Oral Tongue Cancer
  2. a) A lump on the side of the tongue that touches the teeth.
  3. b) The lump often looks like an ulcer and is grayish-pink to red.
  4. c) The lump bleeds easily if bitten or touched.
  5. Base of Tongue Cancer

There are few symptoms in the early stages and the tumor is hard to see. It is usually diagnosed when growing larger. In later stages, the cancer may cause obvious symptoms:

  1. Pain,
  2. a sense of fullness in the throat,
  3. difficulty swallowing,
  4. the feeling of a lump in the neck or throat,
  5. voice changes or ear pain.

 

What causes tongue cancer, and Who is Likely to Get Tongue Cancer?

Some people develop tongue cancer with no risk factors. But it can be found more common in older age groups (age 40 and up). It is twice as common in men.

 

Other risk factors for this type of cancer are:

  1. Smoking and drinking alcohol

Smokers are five times more likely to develop tongue cancer than nonsmokers. If you have a history of smoking or heavy alcohol consumption, you are more likely to get tongue cancer.

 

  1. Heavy user of painkillers, AIDS, and human papillomavirus (HPV)

HPV 16 and HPV 18 increase the risk of tongue cancer. This infection is as common among men as it is women, and can affect people of any age.

 

  1. Hereditary Factors

There are also people who have an increased risk for developing this cancer due to hereditary factors. African-American men are at greater risk than Caucasians.

 

Did you find the information useful? If so, continue reading our ENT posts.

 

For details of our ENT services, diagnosis, and treatment, please consult our ENT specialist.

 

 

Source:

HK ENT Specialist Ltd.

Hong Kong based ENT clinic centre

For ENT Services, Audiology & Speech Therapy,

Sleep Disordered Breathing Management,

Hearing Aid Prescription & Medical Cosmetic Services

https://www.hkentspecialist.hk

Why Do Some People Have Nose Congestion at Night?

During the day, you are pleasantly busy with your daily endeavor that you never notice for even a short while that you have nasal congestion. Then at night, before going to bed, you detect the unmistakable stuffiness building up in your nasal passageways.

That is not the whole story, however.

 

Rationales of Nighttime Congestion

One can conjure many a reason for nasal congestion at night. Common sense would pull you to believe that gravity is one of the players in the team. Another innocuous alibi is taking too much food at dinner and goes to sleep just barely an hour after a feast.

 

Think of whatever you want, blame all the fairies and witches and goblins that trample your imaginings, but here are a few of the causes of such condition as nose congestion at night.

 

The Supine Position

Lying down flat on your back alters the scene drastically. Gravity is shared equally on all points of your body, for one thing. Blood flow, for another, is a little more pronounced in the head and nose, inflaming the blood vessels inside the nose and passageways.

 

The enlargement of these vessels, and with gravity as an accomplice, causes the ever-present mucus in the nose to stay and behave making you feel stuffy for the night.

 

Compare this with daytime activity when you are upright with no nasal blood vessel inflammation and mucus is free at will to slide down your throat and gets swallowed because of gravity. Hardly do we notice this episode that gets repeated a lot of times before dinner.

 

Flowback of acids

Not quite an expected guest but acid reflux is one influencer of nose congestion at night. Currently accepted by medical professionals that this condition is a link to chronic sinusitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and nasal congestion.

 

This is the ailment wherein stomach acids will flow back up to the esophagus area causing sore throats or throat ulcers or heartburns and even nasal congestion. An enhanced effect will be more felt when lying down.

 

The nasal passageways are the right next-door neighbor of the throat and the oral orifice.

 

Dander and Mites

Dust mites and pet dander must be considered as cause to nasal congestion at night according to a faction in the medical profession. This is so because a certain type of people get slight allergies from pet hair and mites.

 

Treatment

  • Clean your bed thoroughly.
  • Refrain from eating a couple of hours prior to bed.
  • Raise your head.
  • A humidifier with a cool mist will help.
  • Tobacco is not good at all.

 

Did you find the information useful? If so, continue reading our posts.

 

For details of the ENT services, diagnosis, and treatment, please consult our ENT specialist.

 

Source:

HK ENT Specialist Ltd.

Hong Kong based ENT clinic centre

For ENT Services, Audiology & Speech Therapy,

Sleep Disordered Breathing Management,

Hearing Aid Prescription & Medical Cosmetic Services

http://www.hkentspecialist.hk

An Overview of Anosmia due to inability to smell

A strange word for a sense taken for granted by many. The complete loss of smell is called anosmia and it may be temporary or permanent. There is also a condition where loss of smell may only be partial meaning you can smell but not quite called hyposmia.

There may be not much of a complaint for partial inability to smell but a total loss of smell is a matter to be really concerned with since it may put you in a very precarious situation. Making a mountain out of a mound?

You are alone at home having anosmia for a couple of days and the gas tank is leaking in the kitchen. Or, you are so hungry, you’d try anything out of the fridge and the salsa you picked had been sour for a day already.

 

Sense of Smell

Like the other senses, smelling is triggered by a process. A molecule from a hot soup enters your nose and excites the olfactory nerves that transmits a signal to the brain where the specific smell is identified.

Any disruption in the process may cause one to lose the ability to smell, be it partial or complete and may either be temporary or permanent. The loss of smell, in consequence, affects the sense of taste.

Without smelling, tasting is watered down or limited to a few flavors which, in turn, nips on the quality of your life.

 

Causes

Several factors cause the disruption of the process of smelling, but the most common ones are allergy, nasal congestion due to colds, or just plain poor air quality; forest fires and smog included. However, the list of causes may be longer than you think:

  • medications for Alzheimer’s’ or Parkinson’s diseases, hormone imbalance;
  • old age;
  • polyps inside the nose;
  • head trauma;
  • chemical exposure;
  • medicines such as antibiotics, anti-inflammatory, or antidepressants;
  • radiation for head or neck cancer.

 

Symptom

There is just one and palpable sign in the inability to smell and that is the absence of smell. You begin to doubt that you may have anosmia when certain familiar things to you suddenly smell nothing.

Better yet, Pierre Cardin should have an effect on you; if not, then it is on you, indeed.

 

Treatment

Once you know you do have anosmia, know how it came to be is the next step. Starting from the bottom of the stairs, if anosmia is caused by nasal congestion due to cold or simple allergy, no fuss is needed but decongestants.

Other than the first two causes of anosmia, or you have had the lack of smell for a week or two, a necessary visit to a health care professional must be done. It may be infection or polyp growth.

Did you find the information useful? If so, continue reading our posts.

 

For details of the ENT services, diagnosis, and treatment, please consult our ENT specialist.

 

 

Source:

HK ENT Specialist Ltd.

Hong Kong based ENT clinic centre

For ENT Services, Audiology & Speech Therapy,

Sleep Disordered Breathing Management,

Hearing Aid Prescription & Medical Cosmetic Services

http://www.hkentspecialist.hk

What is the Kissing Disease (Mono)?

Kiss me once and I’ll kiss you twice and then there’s mono. Mononucleosis or the kissing disease or simply mono, as it is otherwise known, is an infectious disease. You might have to ease up on your affections but catching a cold is more likely than getting infected with this one.

 

The Guilty One

Mono is to be taken seriously for it is no slight infection with symptoms that range from mild to severe. The complications that come along with it, however, makes it even more hazardous.

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is the cause for this disease which may lay dormant in your saliva, blood or semen. You can get the virus through kissing, sex and blood or organ donation.

Being dormant, it may become active and once it is active you may get sick or not, but you will certainly be contagious. Many people have the virus but don’t get sick.

 

Medical Analysis

There are three basic symptoms of the Mononucleosis which do not, by themselves, announce the presence of EBV in your system:

  • fever;
  • fatigue;
  • sore throat.

 

These symptoms may even point to a separate ailment or disease that is why a visit to a medical professional will state that EBV is a clear and present danger for you. The doctor will check you for:

  • puffy spleen;
  • engorged liver;
  • blood test for antibodies;
  • white blood cell test.

 

Treatment and Home Care

Like all viruses, Mononucleosis can be treated with antibiotics but can also disappear on its own without treatment in a matter of weeks. These, obviously, is a mild case scenario. Nonetheless, it is sensible to:

  • rehydrate daily, not just 8 glasses, if possible;
  • limit down your household chores to rest more than usual;
  • nibble on sore throat candies or ice or gargle to ease that discomfort;
  • pop fever medicines.

It is advisable, upon feeling generally better, to ease up at school or at the workplace. Also, for your spleen to fully recuperate, avoid strenuous activities like sports. Proper cleaning of utensils, drinking glasses, the separation of toothbrushes, among other things, must be done.

 

Emergency Signals

In severe cases, urgent medical attention should be resorted once:

  • a sharp and unexpected pain on the left side of your tummy is felt; your spleen may be having some problems;
  • you are dehydrated; evidence is only drips of urine;
  • you have breathing troubles or trouble in swallowing; call emergency immediately.

 

The persistence of the disease, like it has been with you for more than three weeks, deserves and audience with the doctor also.

 

Did you find the information useful? If so, continue reading our posts.

 

For details of the ENT services, diagnosis, and treatment, please consult our ENT specialist.

 

 

Source:

HK ENT Specialist Ltd.

Hong Kong based ENT clinic centre

For ENT Services, Audiology & Speech Therapy,

Sleep Disordered Breathing Management,

Hearing Aid Prescription & Medical Cosmetic Services

http://www.hkentspecialist.hk

A Quick Look At Throat Ulcers

It was an intramural of activity you had yesterday with a crowd of people all the time; and it was fun. Now you wake up with a niggling feeling in your throat and you take no notice of it until you get back home, and it is now really bothering you.

You brush it off as sore throat that nothing a pack of lozenges cannot handle. You cannot be more mistaken in presuming it is so when it may even be more than that. Looking at the bright side of things, it may only be bacterial or viral from yesterday’s event.

 

 

Throat Ulcers at a glance

This ulcer may not only be anywhere within the oral cavity but also at the surface linings of the esophagus. As such, throat ulcers may not be visible from the mouth and a professional examination would be required. Knowing the cause of the ulcer will ascertain the treatment needed.

Before you head on for a doctor and if you find yourself hard in swallowing food, check for these symptoms:

  • fever;
  • patches of red or white in your throat;
  • mouth sores;
  • pain;
  • a swelling in your neck;
  • hampered jaw movement;
  • bad breath;
  • pain in the chest.

 

 

Treatment

Throat ulcers may occur at your vocal cords or anywhere down your esophagus. Location and determination of the cause is important for a healthcare professional to arrive at a fitting treatment regimen.

Wherever the ulcer may be and whatever the cause was, any of the following treatment may be prescribed by the doctor.

 

Vocal cord ulcers treatment

  • desistance from speaking;
  • vocal therapy;
  • gastroesophageal reflux treatment (stomach acid flows back up to you esophagus that cause lacerations on your throat);
  • pain reliever;
  • surgery as last resort.

 

Esophageal ulcers treatment

  • antacids;
  • antibiotics or antiviral medications for infection;
  • proton pump inhibitor;
  • pain reliever such as acetaminophen.

 

 

Pointers at home

Before and after consulting a medical professional, it is only prudent to observe means to stave off aggravation of the effects of throat ulcers that may take a week at least to taper and vanish. Your cravings for food and consequently your diet may suffer but it is for a good cause.

  • Spicy food and snacks must be avoided;
  • Cold or iced drinks to soothe the pain;
  • Certain medicines must also be avoided to avert acid reflux;
  • Gargle with warm brine solution;
  • Take in more water than usual;
  • Alcohol can exacerbate the open sore;
  • Smoking dries your throat and enlarges the sore.

 

Throat ulcers may also be caused by chemotherapy treatment and radiation therapy that may disappear when treatment is completed.

 

Did you find the information useful? If so, continue reading our posts.

 

For details of the ENT services, diagnosis, and treatment, please consult our ENT specialist.

 

 

Source:

HK ENT Specialist Ltd.

Hong Kong based ENT clinic centre

For ENT Services, Audiology & Speech Therapy,

Sleep Disordered Breathing Management,

Hearing Aid Prescription & Medical Cosmetic Services

http://www.hkentspecialist.hk

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