A Canadian man’s toothache turned out to be a symptom of oral cancer, which forced him to have half of his lower jaw removed. This was reported by daily mail.
Wayne Reimer from Canada started having a toothache in May 2006. To combat this, he took aspirin and then consulted a doctor. The dentist suspected oral cancer in the patient while removing his tooth. This was confirmed by biopsy of the root canal tissue. The man underwent a 17-hour surgery to remove half of his lower jaw, which was then reconstructed using tissue from his left arm and leg. After surgery, he underwent radiation therapy for several months, resulting in severe burns to his mouth.
Doctors predicted the man would live less than six years. But now he is alive, retired, and was able to see his four grandchildren.
Early symptoms of oral cancer may include pain in the mouth and ear, loose teeth, and sore throat. In later stages, the tumor may cause problems with opening the mouth, chewing and swallowing. Mouth ulcers that don’t heal, a hoarse voice, and unexplained swelling are also reasons to see a doctor to rule out oral cancer.
When oral cancer is detected at an early stage, 86% of patients survive for five years or longer. However, if the tumor has spread to other parts of the body, the five-year survival rate drops to 69%.
Risk factors include smoking and alcohol consumption, as well as human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Oral cancer is most common in people age 60 and older, but about 20% of cases occur in people under age 55.
used to be a doctor listed subtle symptoms of brain cancer.