Mouth cancer treatment at GenesisCare

Mouth cancer, also known as oral cancer, can develop in many parts of the mouth, including the tongue, cheeks, palate (roof of the mouth), lips and gums. According to Cancer Research UK, around 8,300 people are diagnosed with the condition each year in the UK. Despite this, early diagnosis and treatment can mean a positive outcome for many.

We are the UK’s leading specialist private cancer care provider, and by choosing us, you can be reassured that your treatment will be managed by a team of specialists working together, with you, to decide the best personalised care plan for your diagnosis.

It is our commitment to offer world-class care to every patient with cancer.

There are a number of treatment options available for mouth cancer at GenesisCare, such as:

• Surgery – removal of the cancerous cells. This may also include reconstructive surgery
• Radiotherapy – high-energy radiation which is targeted at the cancer cells
• Chemotherapy – anti-cancer (cytotoxic) drugs which destroy the cancerous cells
• Targeted therapy – a specialised group of drugs that attack or block certain processes in cancer cells

At GenesisCare we diagnose and treat a wide range of cancers, and we understand that this can be a very worrying time. Our diagnosis services are world-class, and our commitment is to give you the answers you need, as quickly as possible. It’s important to remember that symptoms can often be caused by other conditions, not mouth cancer. But whatever your diagnosis, we can make sure you get the expert care you need and without delay.

If you’re concerned about mouth cancer symptoms, we offer fast access to specialist mouth cancer diagnostics and expert consultants who specialise in conditions affecting the head and neck including the mouth and throat. They’ll assess your symptoms and, if necessary, refer you to diagnostic tests such as a biopsy, blood test or imaging scans (including CT, PET/CT, MRI or ultrasound). You may also need to see one of our speech and language therapists (SLT) or dietary specialists.

The most common symptom of mouth cancer is an ulcer or sore in the mouth or on the lip, which doesn’t heal after several weeks.

Other signs of mouth cancer can include:

• Lumps in your mouth or neck
• Swallowing difficulties
• Changes in your voice or speech
• Unexplained weight loss
• Numb lips or tongue
• Unexplained loose teeth
• Difficulty moving your jaw
• White or red patches in the mouth or on the tongue

Having one or more of these symptoms doesn’t mean you have cancer, but it’s best to speak to your doctor. If you have any concerns, you should seek medical advice or book an appointment through our Rapid Access Head and Neck Service

There are various surgical procedures for mouth cancer treatment. Your surgeon will recommend the most appropriate technique depending on the size, location and stage of your tumour.

We have leading maxillofacial surgeons who perform reconstructive surgery to restore any soft tissue, teeth or bone that were removed during mouth cancer surgery. We understand that reconstructive surgery can alter your appearance and the way you feel about yourself, and our teams are committed to supporting you through these changes.

Our team also includes specialists such as speech and language therapists and dietitians who may be involved in preparing you for surgery and helping with your recovery and rehabilitation.

No treatment is without side effects. Your doctor will explain these to you, together with the ways your treatment plan and supportive care can help manage or minimise these.

At GenesisCare, we are the leading private provider of radiotherapy in the UK and offer world-class expertise, state-of-the-art facilities and advanced radiotherapy techniques. Our latest-generation radiotherapy machines (called linacs) deliver highly targeted radiation beams that are designed to be effective while minimising the radiation dose to healthy tissues.

Your treatment will be governed by our expert multidisciplinary teams (MDTs), made up of oncologists, radiotherapists, speech and language therapists (SLTs) and dietitians, who work together to ensure that you only receive the best possible care.

Volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) is a modern radiotherapy technique that directs beams of radiation in an arc across the treatment area. Together with surface-guided radiotherapy (SGRT), it’s possible to precisely target areas of cancer, adjusting the beam and intensity of the radiation dose to allow for movements in the body and avoid healthy tissues. Side effects of radiotherapy occur when healthy tissues receive radiation, so using this technique helps to limit the dose to tissues and organs surrounding the tumour. At GenesisCare, we offer VMAT wherever possible because it is widely recognised to be the highest standard of care currently available for patients needing this type of radiotherapy.

We also offer palliative VMAT radiotherapy for those living with advanced mouth cancer, where it has spread throughout the body, to improve pain and increase mobility. We understand that fast access to palliative care is paramount and can usually provide treatment within 48 hours of a planning imaging scan.

No treatment is without side effects. Your doctor will explain these to you start your course of radiotherapy, together with the ways your treatment plan and supportive care can help manage or minimise these.

Chemotherapy uses involves the use of cytotoxic (anti-cancer) drugs to destroy cancer cells. Chemotherapy for mouth cancer can be delivered before surgery or radiotherapy to reduce the size of your cancer, or after treatment if there’s a significant risk of the cancer returning. It can also be given in combination with radiotherapy (chemoradiation).

Targeted (also called biological) therapies are a specialised group of drugs that have been designed to attack or block specific processes in cancer cells that tumours depend on to survive and grow. Monoclonal antibodies, or MABs, are a type of targeted therapy for mouth cancer. They’re often delivered alongside radiotherapy and are usually given to you if previous treatments haven’t worked, or if you’re not suitable for chemotherapy.

If your cancer has spread to other parts of the body, it’s called advanced or metastatic mouth cancer. At GenesisCare, you can receive palliative drug treatment for advanced mouth cancer, to reduce the size and progress of your cancer and ease any symptoms.

For some advanced cancers, we use specialist tests, such as liquid biopsy or genomic testing, to understand the genetic make-up of cancer cells. This helps us to identify which drugs are available to work against the particular genetic mutations in a cancer, allowing us to start effective treatment without delay.

There may also be opportunities to access clinical trials for the newest treatments for ­­­­mouth cancer.

Exercise medicine is a personalised programme of carefully planned and supported physical activity that has been shown to improve outcomes for cancer patients, enhancing quality of life and limiting the impact of cancer, such as by improving strength and reducing fatigue. One of our physiotherapists specialising in exercise for people living with cancer will provide a 12-week programme tailored to your needs and supported by our dedicated GenesisCare Exercise Medicine app. They‘ll work closely with you to monitor changes in your health and support you throughout the programme to help you get the best results. This is available at selected GenesisCare centres. 

We also offer a wellbeing expert and holistic therapies such as counselling, acupuncture, massage and reflexology through our unique partnership with the Penny Brohn UK charity. This service is available to all mouth cancer patients at any of our 14 UK centres.

We’re proud that so many of our patients rate the care they receive from us as “excellent”. Find out more about the high-quality experiences of people who have been diagnosed or treated at a GenesisCare centre in our patient stories section.

• Cancer Research UK
• Macmillan Cancer Support
• NHS England