carcinoma of tongue
Last reviewed 01/2018
Incidence:
- decreasing, mainly because of improved dental hygiene
Site:
- most commonly, lateral border
Clinical features:
- usually presents as a persistent ulcer
- advanced cases may cause tongue fixation and invade the mandible such that the patient experiences dysphagia
- one third of cases present with a lump in the neck, which on account of the lymphatic drainage in this area, may be on the contralateral side
Diagnosis:
- biopsy
Management:
- small lesions - radiotherapy or surgery
- large lesions - partial glossectomy
- palpable neck lesions require a neck dissection but if bilateral nodes are present, neck dissection is unlikely to be justified as the prognosis is so poor