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Treatment areas · 06

Lip Cancer

Cancers that develop on the lips, at the entrance to the mouth; their symptoms, stages, surgical treatment and reconstruction.

The lips are among the most visible parts of the face, and they are also indispensable for speech, eating and facial expression. Lip cancer is a head and neck cancer that most often arises on the red part of the lip (vermilion) and is closely linked to long-term sun exposure and tobacco use. Because tumours on the lip are easy to see, they are usually noticed early; a lip cancer that is found early can often be treated with a smaller operation while largely preserving the appearance of the lip.1,2,3,4

The pages in this section cover lip cancer step by step: what the cancer is and why it develops, early signs such as a sore that does not heal or crusting, the examination and biopsy used for diagnosis, the types and stages of the cancer, how surgical treatment is planned, and how the lip tissue is repaired after surgery. The final page describes the recovery period after treatment, what to expect regarding eating and speech, and long-term follow-up.

These pages explain in plain language, in order, which steps come next when you notice a change on your lip. What you read here is general information; decisions about your own situation are made together with you, and only after examination and tests.

References

  1. Kerawala C, Roques T, Jeannon JP, Bisase B. Oral cavity and lip cancer: United Kingdom National Multidisciplinary Guidelines. J Laryngol Otol. 2016;130(S2):S83-S89. doi:10.1017/S0022215116000499 ↩

  2. Baumann D, Robb G. Lip reconstruction. Semin Plast Surg. 2008;22(4):269-280. doi:10.1055/s-0028-1095886 ↩

  3. de Visscher JG, Grond AJ, Otter R, van der Waal I. [Lip carcinoma. A review]. Ned Tijdschr Tandheelkd. 2002;109(10):391-395. Dutch. Available from: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↩

  4. Dougherty W, Givi B, Jameson MJ; Education Committee of the American Head and Neck Society. AHNS Series - Do you know your guidelines? Lip cancer. Head Neck. 2017;39(8):1505-1509. doi:10.1002/hed.24817 ↩

Topics in this area · 6 topics

  1. 01Lip Cancer: An OverviewWhat lip cancer is, how it is linked to sun and tobacco, its early signs, how it is diagnosed and the surgical treatment options.
  2. 02Symptoms and Diagnosis of Lip CancerThe early and advanced symptoms of lip cancer, precancerous changes, and the diagnostic process through examination, biopsy and imaging.
  3. 03Types and Stages of Lip CancerThe main types of lip cancer, tumour grade, the TNM staging system and how stages I to IV influence the treatment plan.
  4. 04Surgical Treatment of Lip CancerPlanning lip cancer surgery, the methods used to remove the tumour, checking the surgical margins, treating the neck lymph nodes and additional treatments.
  5. 05Lip Reconstruction After Cancer SurgeryRepairing the lip after lip cancer surgery: the aims, direct closure, local flaps, free tissue transfer and what to expect afterwards.
  6. 06Recovery After Lip Cancer TreatmentWhat to expect in the first days and weeks after lip cancer treatment: eating, scar care, sun protection and long-term follow-up.

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