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Strike action from Thursday 27 June to Tuesday 2 July 2024

Junior doctors at The Christie will strike from 7am on Thursday 27 June until 7am on Tuesday 2 July 2024.

We are proactively contacting patients with appointments that may be affected. If you have an appointment on any of these dates, please continue to come to The Christie and our other centres as planned, unless we contact you to tell you otherwise. Please do not call to check if your appointment is still going ahead.

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Mouth cancer

Risk factors for mouth cancer

The most important risk factors for mouth cancer are smoking and drinking alcohol. Overexposure to sunlight and UV light can increase the risk of lip cancer. However, some patients may not have any obvious cause for their cancer.

A diagram showing the anatomy of the oral cavity. This includes the lip, the teeth, the hard palate, the soft palate, the retromolar trigone, the front two-thirds of the tongue, the gingiva or gum, the uvula, the tonsil, the buccal mucosa or lip and cheek lining and the floor of the mouth.

Cancers of the tongue, gums, inside of cheeks or lips, under the tongue and lips are also known as ‘oral cavity cancers’. Patients may experience an ulcer or sore that does not heal. Sometimes patients may have pain, bleeding, weight loss or a lump on the side of the neck. Some patients may have trouble eating or swallowing, or may notice a change to their speech.

Treatments for mouth cancer include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy.

Last updated: March 2023

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