1. Adjusting to Lifestyle Changes
Many cases of oral cancer are caused by the overuse of tobacco and alcohol products. If you smoke cigars or cigarettes or use chewing tobacco, quit immediately. Limit your alcohol consumption to one drink per day if you're going to drink it at all. Studies have proven that oral cancer has very high recurrence rates in patients who choose to continue to smoke and drink.
Some forms of mouth cancer, particularly those requiring surgical intervention, can result in the removal or loss of certain parts of the mouth, tongue and throat. These procedures may make it necessary for you to change the way you take in food and drink. To cope more effectively with these changes, your doctor can recommend you to a therapist who will help you master new chewing, drinking and swallowing techniques. The goal of this type of therapy will be to help you cope with the necessary adjustments while making as few changes as possible in your regular life.
2. Communicate More Clearly
Throat cancers in particular can interfere with your larynx, sometimes forcing its alteration or removal during surgical treatment. If the side effects are less severe, you may recover your normal voice in a matter of weeks or months. However, sometimes you'll face permanent changes, and doctors have devised a range of options to help patients live with their new situations.
You can use a silicon voice prosthesis to induce artificial speech sounds that will magnify your remaining natural voice capability. These devices are removable, so you can use them only when you need to speak to limit your discomfort.
Your doctor may also suggest that you be outfitted with an artificial larynx or an air tube which can help you form speech using your esophagus or gullet. Whatever coping mechanism you choose, you'll be matched with a speech therapist who will help you master its use.
3. Cope With Breathing and Swallowing Problems
Dysphagia is the medical term for the swallowing troubles many oral cancer patients face after surgery. It can be treated with the help of a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube (PEG) or a nasogastric tube. These temporary implements link your stomach and throat, allowing you to bypass your natural swallowing route when eating so as not to irritate any tissues that are healing. In some cases, these tubes may become a permanent part of your life.
If you encounter breathing difficulties as the result of throat cancer treatment, your doctor may make a small hole in your neck using a procedure called tracheostomy. This hole provides you with an unimpeded airway, allowing you to draw air in beneath the site of the surgery to increase the volume of oxygen that reaches your lungs. As with swallowing tubes, the tracheostomy hole may be permanent or temporary. It depends on your prognosis, your oncologist's treatment plan, and the severity of your case of oral cancer.
