Surgical Treatments for Lip and Mouth Cavity Cancers

Dr. Rajiv Datta serves as chair of the surgery department and as chief of head and neck surgery at South Nassau Community Hospital, where he also directs the division of surgical oncology. Medical director of the Gertrude and Louis Feil Cancer Center as well, Dr. Rajiv Datta draws on specialized training and experience in treating lip and oral cavity cancers.

Surgical treatment of cancer in the lips or oral cavity depends largely on the cancer's stage. Cancer that is classifiable as stage 0, or carcinoma in situ, has not yet invaded the deeper tissue layers. At this phase of the disease, surgeons can often remove the cancer by cutting away the uppermost tissue and a small, marginal amount of healthy tissue.

If cancer has progressed to stage I or stage II, surgery may be either the first line of treatment or an adjunct to radiation therapy. Surgery is most often indicated if cancer is deep in the lip or is located inside the oral cavity. In some such cases, the procedure may also involve removal of lymph node tissue to assess the cancer’s spread.

Cancers that have advanced to stage III or IVa are by nature larger cancers and tumors that have spread to adjacent tissue. Surgery for these cancers often involves removal of invaded lymph nodes. 

When surgery is particularly aggressive, a patient's treatment regimen may involve reconstructive surgery to correct the appearance of the mouth and face. This may require dental implants, skin grafts, or other restorative procedures, depending on the extent and type of excision involved in the treatment.