Lip Cancer Symptoms and Statistics

Lip cancer is a form of cancer that is usually related to extended exposure to natural elements such as the sun and the wind. Because of this, lip cancer is more prevalent among people who work outside, such as farmers, ranchers, and fisherman. Lip cancer usually begins as a tumor that does not seem to heal on the lip, specifically between the middle third and the outer third level of the lower lip. Sometimes lip cancer beings as a non cancerous non-healing area on the lip and then over time, develops into a cancerous tumor.

Lip cancer can be cured by several different methods, depending on the severity. For example, lip cancer can be burned, it can be frozen, it can be treated with acid or creams, and in more several cases, and it can be treated with radiation. However the most effective way to remove lip cancer, also known as Squamous Cell Cancer of the lip, is by surgically removing the cancerous area. Usually the lip will look normal but some sever cases may require the work or a plastic surgeon in order to create a normal looking lip after surgery.

While many people might not often hear of lip cancer, it is actually pretty common, affecting over 34,000 Americans each year. Of this number, and significant portion, roughly 8000 people will die from this cancer. Lip cancer is actually so sever that out of the 34,000 people diagnosed in a year, old half of the victims will be alive within 5 years. In fact, the death rate of people who die from lip cancer and other oral or pharyngeal cancers is higher than the rate of people who die from cancers such as liver cancer, Hodgkin’s disease, and kidney cancer. Because of these staggering numbers, it is important to get any unusual mark on the body checked out as soon as possible.