Best Doctors in India for Tongue Cancer Treatment
- Surgical Oncologist, Chennai, India
- Over 25 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Rajasundaram is a highly successful and experienced Surgical Oncologist with great expertise in performing laparoscopic cancer surgeries.
- He has over 25 years of experience in Surgical Oncology and has performed more than 15,000 cancer-related surgeries till date.
- His expertise lies in the treatment of various types of cancers including organ cancers, solid cancers, blood cancers, inherited cancers, and benign tumors.
- ENT, Head & Neck Onco Surgeon; Mumbai, India
- Over 30 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Sanjiv Badhwar is a well-known Head and Neck Onco surgeon in Mumbai.
- He specializes in head and neck surgery for cancer patients, cochlear implant surgery, robotic surgery to remove cancer of the head and neck region, voice disorder surgery, and other types of ENT surgeries.
- He holds an experience of over 30 years as an ENT specialist and has received advanced training from the Voice Institute in Portland, USA
- Surgical Oncologist, Hyderabad, India
- Over 20 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Sharan Kumar Shetty is a renowned Head and Neck Surgical Oncologist in Hyderabad currently associated with CARE Hospitals.
- He has experience of over 20 years in the field and is an expert in the treatment of cancers affecting the head and neck regions such as the oral cavity, larynx, pharynx, trachea, sinus, salivary gland, nose, and throat.
- Dr. Sharan Kumar Shetty’s expertise also lies in reconstructive cancer surgeries using free flap and pedicled flaps.
- Surgical Oncologist, Gurugram, India
- Over 10 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Shilpi Sharma is a highly experienced surgeon and oncologist who has previously worked in prestigious institutions such as Tata Memorial Hospital, and National Cancer Institute.
- Throughout her career, she has conducted various high-quality research in the field of head and neck cancers. Dr. Shilpi Sharma has also been part of various randomized and nonrandomized trials and has also been involved in clinical and translational research.
- She is also a member of ICMR guideline committee which formulated the ICMR guidelines on tongue cancers.
- Surgical Oncologist, Head & Neck Surgical Oncologist; Chennai, India
- Over 18 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Kannan S is a prominent Otorhinolaryngologist in India with nearly 18 years of experience.
- He holds a position as a Consultant Head and Neck Oncosurgeon in Apollo Cancer Institutes, Chennai.
- Being an MS and MBBS in Surgical Oncology, his interests led him to treat many ENT problems.
- He published several papers related to the same. He regularly attends conferences in his field and has also been awarded for his work.
Best Hospitals in India for Tongue Cancer Treatment
CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram
- City: Gurugram, India
Hospital Highlights:
- The CK Birla Hospital in Gurugram is a NABH-accredited multi-specialty hospital.
- The hospital strives to increase the quality of healthcare by focusing on UK NHS nurse and midwife training requirements. Policies and practices derived from the National Institute for Health and Treatment Excellence (NICE) recommendations in the United Kingdom ensuring that a strong focus on safety, high-quality clinical care, and sanitation is maintained.
- The hospital’s cutting-edge technology and facilities allow for real-time communication and seamless collaboration among caregivers, ensuring accuracy and the best possible results. Those with foreign experience and accreditations make up part of the hospital’s team of clinicians.
KIMS Hospital, Hyderabad
- City: Hyderabad, India
Hospital Highlights:
- KIMS Hospital (a brand name of Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences) is one of the largest and best multi-speciality hospitals in Hyderabad. The hospital provides various treatments to an enormous number of patients.
- The hospital has a capacity of more than 3000 beds. KIMS Hospitals offers different healthcare services in more than 25 specialities and super specialities.
- The hospital is equipped with modern medical equipment and technology. It has robotic equipment to provide minimal invasive techniques for patients.
- The hospital is aimed at providing world-class healthcare facilities and services at an affordable cost for patients.
- The various specialities and departments of the hospital include neurosciences, gastroenterology & hepatology, robotic science, reproductive sciences, dental science, oncological sciences, organ transplantation, heart and lung transplantation and mother and child care.
Fortis Hospital, Shalimar Bagh
- City: New Delhi, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Fortis Hospital in Shalimar Bagh is a multi-super specialty hospital that strives to provide world-class patient care by leaving no stone unturned.
- Fortis, Shalimar Bagh, with 262 beds and a 7.34-acre footprint, provides the best level of medical care through its team of doctors, nurses, technicians, and management professionals.
Reliance Hospital, Mumbai
- City: Mumbai, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Reliance Hospital is one of the best super-specialty care hospitals in Navi Mumbai.
- The main purpose of this hospital is to become a trustworthy place for the best health and hope for society. The hospital is well connected to the suburbs of Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.
- The hospital has various specialty departments, viz., Accident & Emergency, Anesthesiology, Dental Services, Dermatology, Diabetology, Dietetics Nutrition, Endocrinology, ENT, Gastroenterology, General Surgery, Gynaecology And Obstetrics, Hepato Pancreato Biliary Surgery, Infectious Disease, Internal Medicine, Interventional Radiology, Laboratory Medicine, Minimal Access Laparoscopic Surgery, Nephrology, Neurosciences, Opthalmology, Orthopaedics, Paediatrics, Pain Management Palliative Care, Physical Medicine Rehabilitation, Plastic And Reconstructive Surgery, Psychiatry, Pulmonary Medicine, Radiology, Rheumatology, Transplant, Urology Andrology, Vascular Surgery
Lilavati Hospital & Research Centre, Mumbai
- City: Mumbai, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Lilavati Hospital & Research Centre is India’s premier multi-speciality tertiary care hospital and has been recognised as a global medical excellence centre.
- Lilavati Hospital & Research Centre has built an unrivalled level of trust with its patients over the years, thanks to a solid foundation that comprises cutting-edge facilities, the best medical competence, research, education, and charity endeavours.
- The hospital is quite proud of the fact that it now serves patients from all kinds of backgrounds, not just from the United States but from all around the world.
- The hospital has a total of 323 beds, one of the largest Intensive Care Units (ICUs), 12 Operation Theatres with modern amenities, over 300 consultants, and almost 1,800 personnel.
MGM Healthcare, Chennai
- City: Chennai, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Located in Chennai, India, MGM Healthcare is a top multispecialty hospital that provides all medical services under one roof.
- Since its founding in 2019, MGM Healthcare has quickly become a leading national referral centre, creating several innovative flagship initiatives.
- MGM Healthcare combines next-generation medical and digital technologies to provide better patient results.
- With 12 centres of excellence, more than 400 inpatient beds, 100 intensive care unit beds, and 24/7 emergency care, MGM Healthcare leaves no chance in redefining the patient experience in Chennai.
- MGM Healthcare boasts 250+ expert doctors across 30+ departments, including Cardiology, Pulmonology, Neurology, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, and more.
- They house 12 specialized Centres of Excellence, including Neurosciences, Orthopaedics, and Multi-Organ Transplantation.
- Their team of doctors, nurses, and paramedics works together to give every patient individualized treatment.
Tongue Cancer
Tongue cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the cells of the tongue and may cause lesions or tumors in your tongue. If this condition occurs in the front of the tongue, then it is called ‘oral tongue cancer. If this occurs at the base of the tongue, then it is termed oropharyngeal cancer.
Treatment for tongue cancer generally involves surgery in order to remove cancer. Sometimes, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and targeted drug therapy might also be recommended.
If your tongue cancer is advanced, it might even impact your ability to speak and eat. However, you can work with a skilled rehabilitation team, to deal with any changes that result from tongue cancer treatment.
Symptoms
In the early stages of tongue cancer, especially with cancer at the base of the tongue, there might not be any symptoms. The most common early symptom of tongue cancer is a sore on your tongue, that doesn’t heal and that easily bleeds.
Sometimes there might be mouth and tongue pain as well.
Some other symptoms of tongue cancer include:
- A red or white patch on your tongue which continues to persist
- A tongue ulcer that persists
- Pain while swallowing
- Numbness in the mouth
- A sore throat that persists
- Bleeding from the tongue without any cause
- Lump on your tongue that continues to persist
Causes
What exactly causes tongue cancer is unknown. Certain behaviors and conditions may however increase your risk, including:
- Smoking or chewing tobacco
- Heavy drinking
- Chewing betel
- Infection with the HPV virus
- Having a family history of tongue or other mouth cancers
- Having a personal history of certain cancers, such as other squamous cell cancers
- Poor oral hygiene or constant irrigation from jagged teeth or ill-fitting dentures may also increase your risk of tongue cancer.
- The condition is also more common among older men, as compared to women or younger people.
Diagnosis
If you are concerned that you might be having tongue cancer, then you need to make an appointment with your doctor, as soon as possible.
Physical examination
At the appointment, your doctor is going to ask about any relevant medical history, which includes your family medical history, examining your tongue and mouth, examining the lymph nodes in order to check for any enlargements.
Biopsy
If your doctor suspects that any tongue cancer is present, then he/she is going to perform a biopsy. A biopsy includes removing some tissue and sending it off for testing.
Scan
If biopsy results confirm cancer, then a CT scan or MRI scan might be recommended to confirm if cancer has spread to any other parts of the body.
Treatment
Treatment for tongue cancer is going to depend on the size of your tumor, and how far your cancer has spread. Sometimes you may need one treatment or a combination of treatments.
Early mouth cancer which hasn’t spread can generally be treated with a small operation to remove the affected area. Larger tumors might need surgery for removal. This surgery is known as partial glossectomy, in which a part of a tongue is removed.
If a large piece of your tongue is removed, you might need to undergo reconstruction surgery. In this surgery, a doctor is going to remove a piece of skin or tissue from another body part, and use it to rebuild your tongue.
It is to be noted that glossectomy might lead to some side effects, such as changes in how you eat, breathe, talk, and swallow. Speech therapy is able to help you learn to adjust to these changes.
If your cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, it is likely that they are going to require removal as well, with surgery.
If you have a large tumor in the tongue, or if cancer has spread, then you might need a combination of surgery and radiation. However, this can have certain side effects. Your doctor might also recommend chemotherapy, in order to treat your cancer, in combination with radiation therapy or surgery.