Lip cancer is a type of oral cancer that begins in the cells of your lips. It develops in the squamous cells or flat cells that line certain oral and facial structures and that’s why experts say it’s best diagnosed early. Although it’s highly treatable as long as lip cancer is diagnosed early, it accounts for about 0.6 percent of all cancers in the United States. According to experts, about 40,000 cases are diagnosed worldwide each year.

What does lip cancer look like?,

Doctors say that lip cancer mostly resembles cold sores in the mouth that do not heal properly. People with fair skin have reddish lesions and people with darker skin have lesions that look dark brown or gray. According to experts, lip cancer lesions look a lot like cold sores when they first appear in the affected area. While the lesions eventually heal, lip cancer does not go away, and the infection can persist for a long time.

How fast does lip cancer spread?,

According to experts, the spread of lip cancer varies from person to person. In some people, this cancer spreads rapidly, while in others it spreads at a slow or moderate pace.

Studies show that lip cancer progression also depends on the location of the tumor and its stage at the time treatment is started. According to Healthline, a 2017 study stated that lip cancer takes an average of 10-12 months to spread to local, regional or distant structures even after treatment of the primary tumor. Some metastases developed in just three months.

Where does lip cancer spread?

Doctors say that if left untreated, lip cancer can spread to different parts of your body, including:

• lymph nodes
• jaw
• other tissues within the mouth
• Lungs and other parts of the body

Signs and symptoms of lip cancer

Here are some of the signs and symptoms of lip cancer:

• Persistent sores or small ulcers on the lips that do not heal
• a thick lump on your lip
• White or red spots on the lips
• Extreme pain, swelling, and other sensations in the lips
• Bleeding from the lips
• Changes in color and texture of the lips
• Difficulty swallowing and jaw movement
• swollen lymph nodes in your neck

What causes lip cancer?,

According to experts, there are several factors that substantially increase the risk of developing this condition, some of which are:

• Tobacco use – including smoking cigarettes, cigars, pipes or bidis
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• being in excessive sunlight
• having fair skin
• being over 40 years of age
• having human papillomavirus or HPV
• having a weakened immune system

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