Diagnosing Oral Cavity Cancer

Tests to Detect Oral Cavity Cancers

If you have consulted with your doctor or dentist because of persistent symptoms of oral cancers, and they have found abnormalities during a physical exam, additional tests will be needed to make an accurate diagnosis.

When discussing oral cavity cancer, many specialists also consider the oropharynx, which is part of the throat behind your mouth and nasal cavity and is hard to see with the naked eye. The doctor may use mirrors or special fiber-optic scopes to look at areas in this region for signs of cancer.

• Indirect pharyngoscopy and laryngoscopy: Small mirrors on long, thin handles are used to look at your throat, the base of the tongue, and part of the larynx (voice box).
• Direct (flexible) pharyngoscopy and laryngoscopy: A flexible fiber-optic scope (called an endoscope) is put in through your mouth or nose to look at areas that can’t easily be seen with mirrors. It can get a clearer look at areas of change that were seen with the mirrors and also the part behind the nose (nasopharynx) and the larynx (voice box).
• Panendoscopy: A procedure that allows doctors to examine the head and neck region for other cancers fully. This includes checking the oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx (voice box), esophagus (tube leading to the stomach), and the trachea (windpipe) and bronchi (breathing passages in the lungs) using different types of endoscopes passed down the mouth or nose.

A small portion of tissue from any tumors or other abnormal areas found might be taken out to be looked at closely to see if they contain cancer. This is known as a biopsy.

• Biopsy: The removal of cells or tissues so they can be viewed under a microscope by a pathologist. A biopsy is the only way to know for sure that oral cancer is present.
• Exfoliative cytology: A common biopsy procedure to collect cells from the lip or oral cavity. A piece of cotton, a brush, or a small wooden stick is used to gently scrape cells from the lips, tongue, mouth, or throat. The cells are viewed under a microscope to find out if they are abnormal.

• CT scan (CAT scan): A procedure that makes a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body, taken from different angles. The pictures are made by a computer linked to an x-ray machine.
• MRI (magnetic resonance imaging): A procedure that uses a magnet, radio waves, and a computer to make a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body.
• PET scan (positron emission tomography scan): A procedure to find malignant tumor cells in the body. A small amount of radioactive glucose (sugar) is injected into a vein. The PET scanner rotates around the body and makes a picture of where glucose is being used in the body.
• Bone scan: A procedure to check if there are rapidly dividing cells, such as cancer cells, in the bone. A very small amount of radioactive material is injected into a vein and travels through the bloodstream. The radioactive material collects in the bones with cancer and is detected by a scanner.
• Barium swallow: A series of x-rays of the esophagus and stomach. The patient drinks a liquid that contains barium (a silver-white metallic compound). The liquid coats the esophagus, and x-rays are taken. This procedure is also called an upper GI series.

Oral Cancer Care in the South Chicago Suburbs

If you have been diagnosed with a type of head and neck cancer, such as oral cancer, the cancer specialists at Affiliated Oncologists are here to help guide you through the latest treatment options for oral cancer. We offer personalized treatment plans and second opinions. Our oncologists are located throughout the South Chicago suburbs, including Chicago Ridge, Mokena, Hazel Crest, Palos Heights, and Oak Lawn.