Oral cancer poses a significant burden in India, both in terms of incidence and mortality. India has one of the highest rates of oral cancer in the world, largely due to factors such as excess tobacco and alcohol consumption, betel quid chewing, and poor oral hygiene and lack of awareness

Oral cancer arises from the mucosal lining of the oral cavity. the subsites include Lip, buccal mucosa, oral tongue, Hard palate, mandible, maxilla, and floor of mouth. It usually affects older adults with male predilection.

Early detection with, self-examination, risk factor assessment, periodic screening with multi-disciplinary team approach ensures timely diagnosis and appropriate management  

The treatment of oral cancer typically involves a multidisciplinary approach tailored to the individual patient’s specific circumstances. Surgical resection is the main modality of the treatment,

During the surgical resection phase, the cancerous tissue, along with a margin of healthy tissue to ensure complete removal of the tumor, is excised. we also perform a lymph node dissection (neck dissection) to remove affected lymph nodes and reduce the risk of cancer recurrence

After the cancerous tissue is removed, the surgical team reconstructs the defect to restore function, speech, and aesthetics. Advanced reconstruction techniques may involve the use of tissue grafts, local flaps, regional flaps, or microvascular free tissue transfer (free flap reconstruction). These techniques aim to rebuild the oral cavity, restore swallowing and speech functions, and maintain facial symmetry.

Rehabilitation plays a crucial role to regain optimal oral function and quality of life

In the past 6 months our surgical team has performed around 25 oral cavity surgeries covering a wide spectrum of procedures aimed at providing the best possible outcomes for our patients

Among the recent highlights we particularly want to showcase two complex resections with reconstruction followed by rehabilitation which helped our patients to retain their near normal life

Case 1: 85-year-old lady who underwent subtotal glossectomy (removal of complete oral tongue) followed by regional flap reconstruction and rehabilitation. she is a cancer survivor and now taking orally with a good quality of life.

Case 2: 35-year-old lady who had gigantic jaw tumor for more than 2 years travelled all the way from Somalia. she underwent success full treatment and returned back to her country