Symptoms

Read about the symptoms of mouth and oropharyngeal cancer and when to see your doctor.

Ulcers that do not heal

A broken area of skin (ulcer) that will not heal can be a symptom of mouth cancer. About 80 out of 100 people (80%) with mouth cancer have this symptom. 

Pain in your mouth

Pain or discomfort in your mouth that doesn't go away is the other most common symptom of mouth cancer. 

White or red patches in the mouth or throat 

An abnormal looking patch could be a sign of cancer or precancerous changes:

• White patches are called leukoplakia.
• Red patches are called erythroplakia. 

These patches are not cancer, but if left untreated they may lead to cancer. 

A funagal infection called thrush in the mouth can cause red and white patches. The white patches of thrush usually rub off, leaving a sore red patch underneath. If you have anti fungal treatment and the patches go away, they are not related to cancer.  

Difficulty swallowing 

Mouth cancer can cause pain or a burning sensation when chewing and swallowing food. Or you might feel like your food is sticking in your throat. Difficulty swallowing can also be caused by a harmless narrowing of the foodpipe (oesophagus). 

Speech problems

Cancer in your mouth or throat can affect your voice. Your voice might sound different. It may be quieter, husky, or sound as if you have a cold all the time. Or you might slur some of your words, or have trouble with pronouncing some sounds. 

A lump in your neck

You may have a lump in your neck caused by an enlarged lymph node. Swelling in one or more lymph nodes in the neck is a common symptom of mouth and orpharyngeal cancer. 

A hot red painful lump usually means an infection, rather than a cancer. Lumps that come and go are not usually due to cancer. Cancer usually forms a lump that slowly gets bigger. 

Weight loss

Weight loss is a common symptom of many different types of cancer. Mouth and oropharyngeal cancer can make it painful to eat and diffcult to swallow. This might cause weight loss. 

Extreme weight loss (when you are not dieting) can be a sign of advanced cancer. 

Bad breath

Most people have bad breath at some point in their life and it is not cancer. 

But if you have cancer, bad breath might be worse and happen more often. 

Other symptoms

These can  include one or more of the following:

• a lump or thickening of your lip 
• a lump in your mouth or throat 
• unusual bleeding or numbness in your mouth 
• loose teeth for no clear reason 
• difficulty moving your jaw