Chemotherapy is the use of anti-cancer (cytotoxic) drugs to destroy cancer cells. However, these agents also damage other rapidly-dividing cells, especially in epithelia and haematopoietic tissue, and...

Areca nut is the seed from the areca palm, which is grown in large quantities in Asia and countries surrounding it. Its uses vary from being chewed habitually in South Asia, to playing a role in...

Radiotherapy alone is used to treat some types of mouth and oropharyngeal cancers. RT is an extremely effective treatment for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), sometimes as a primary modality or as...

A 65-year-old male presented to the emergency department with pain on the left-hand side of his mandible after feeling a ‘crack’ whilst eating cornflakes. The patient was a retired builder living with...

A 39-year-old female was referred to the Acute Dental Care Department by her dentist, with a 4-day history of spontaneous gingival bleeding. At the time of her consultation she also complained of...

Surgery and radiation are the only definitive treatment modalities for both early and locally advanced mouth cancer. Surgical resection, wherein the tumour is completely removed with uninvolved...

Now recognized as infection with the bacterium Treponema pallidum and known for centuries, a syphilis epidemic broke out among the soldiers of Charles VIII of France. In 1495 he invaded Naples, and by...

Chlorhexidine is a widely used antiseptic with which all dental practitioners are familiar. It has been extensively used in dentistry, most frequently for the control of dental plaque and reduction of...

Coping with a diagnosis of cancer, both practically and emotionally, is taxing for all concerned. Patients are likely to feel very upset, frightened, confused and out of control. They need support. It...

Generally speaking, the earlier a cancer is found and treated, the better the outcome is likely to be with lesser adverse treatment sequelae. In general, cancer prognosis decreases with advanced...

A 68-year-old male attended the Oral Medicine Department of the Liverpool University Dental Hospital. The patient had been referred by his GDP regarding ‘soreness of the gums and roof of mouth’..

Clinical diagnosis of an early cancer can be quite straightforward if the clinician has adequate level of awareness and suspicion, but potentally malignant disorders (PMDs) that are likely to...

A 45-year-old female presented to her general dental practitioner for routine dental care. She had rushed to the appointment and presented to her dentist with distinctly demarcated unilateral facial...

Some mouth cancers are preceded by clinically obvious potentially malignant disorders (PMDs). There is a range of PMDs known but the most important recognized are erythroplakia (erythroplasia),...

A 61-year-old carpenter was referred to the oral and maxillofacial department by his GDP in March 2011 regarding an asymptomatic ‘white patch’ on the hard palate. Otherwise unaware of the lesion or...