General

* Cancers of the mobile portion of tongue cancers are very visible in the mouth. They are very frequent. The contributing factors are known as alcoholism, smoking, poor dental status. They are developed to the front of the tongue.
* Cancers of the base of the tongue are developed behind the language, and are more rare, more difficult to diagnose.

The signs of the disease

The circumstances of discovery are variables:

* A discrete discomfort during chewing or during movements of the tongue;
* Slight tingling increased by spicy or acidic foods;
* A lesion of the tongue discovered by the patient himself or dentist;
* The discovery of a cervical lymph node.

The examination showed ulceration with irregular edges sometimes thick or injury budding. The appearance of this lesion, of variable size, often located next to a tooth stump is suspected. Palpation of the lesion can appreciate the importance of infiltration and induration characteristic. This irregular induration beyond the edges of the ulcer and extends from front to rear. The rest of the language is flexible.
The doctor looks for a local extension and lymphadenopathy.
The biopsy is necessary to make the diagnosis.
It also looks for a cancer associated with upper aerodigestive tract by endoscopy.
Metastases (lungs, liver, bone) are common (25% of cases).

Differential Diagnosis

* A traumatic ulcer;
* Ulceration of glossitis (vitamin deficiency, infection, fungus, toxic);
* An angioma;
* A papilloma Benin;
* Leukoplakia;
* The consolidated pre-cancerous (malignant keratosis vileuse).

Treatment

> Removal of snags and treatment of decayed teeth is a prerequisite.

> Radiotherapy, surgical techniques, chemotherapy is used.

> Involvement of lymph nodes is treated by surgery (axillary) and transcutaneous radiotherapy.

The signs of the disease

It is usually a matter of maturity, heavy smoker, chronic alcoholic, with poor oral hygiene who complains:

* In foreign body sensation throat, pain on the latest wave has a trailing angina, pain on swallowing acidic foods, spicy foods or alcohol, oozing bleeding …
* Discomfort during swallowing, false roads, coughing;
* From the ear pain in intermittent lightning;
* From the discovery of a cervical lymph node.

On examination, there is often an embarrassment to the protraction of the tongue. The examination tongue depressor can sometimes see the upper part of the tumor. The laryngeal mirror examination to visualize the tumor. Palpation of the base of the tongue can appreciate the importance of infiltration and expansion.

The biopsy is needed and allows the diagnosis.
Radiographs are useful to specify the extension in depth.
The medical research nodes, neoplastic another location at the upper aero-digestive tract and visceral metastases.