Mouth cancer can present with various visible signs and symptoms inside the mouth, often appearing as abnormal patches, sores, or lumps that do not heal over time. Key visual features include:
- Red or white patches inside the mouth, on the tongue, gums, lips, or the lining of the cheeks. These patches may be flat or slightly raised. Red patches (erythroplakia) are more concerning as they have a higher likelihood of being cancerous or precancerous, while white patches (leukoplakia) may be rough, hard, and difficult to scrape off
- Sores or ulcers that do not heal within 2 to 3 weeks. Unlike common mouth ulcers, cancerous sores persist and may not be painful initially
- Lumps or growths inside the mouth or on the lips, which may feel thicker, nodular, or raised. These lumps can interfere with chewing, swallowing, or speaking
- Mixed red and white patches (erythroleukoplakia), which are abnormal cell growths more likely to become cancerous
- Other symptoms may include bleeding, pain, numbness, loose teeth, difficulty moving the tongue, swallowing difficulties, and unexplained weight loss
Mouth cancer can appear anywhere in the oral cavity, including the lips, tongue (especially the sides and underside), gums, inside of the cheeks, roof of the mouth, and floor of the mouth
. Because mouth cancer can look similar to other less serious conditions, any persistent red or white patch, sore, or lump lasting more than 2-3 weeks should be evaluated by a healthcare professional for proper diagnosis and possible biopsy
. In summary, mouth cancer often looks like persistent red or white patches, non-healing sores, or lumps inside the mouth, which may or may not be painful initially but require medical evaluation if they do not resolve promptly
