10 Mouth Cancer Symptoms
Reviewed: Dr. Mera
Symptom #9: Difficulty Swallowing
Dysphagia or difficulty swallowing is a common symptom of head and neck cancer, but can also be a sequela of its treatment. It is a disruption in the swallowing process of bolus transport from the mouth to the stomach. As mentioned before, patients with oral cancer can experience functional impairment for chewing and swallowing. The severity of the swallowing deficit will be dependent on the size and location of the lesion. Also, patients can experience pain and discomfort due to oral lesions that can impair these processes.
Surgical resection of the lesion, the nature of the reconstruction, and the side effects of antineoplastic agents (radiation and/or chemotherapy) are also important factors that can impair swallowing.
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