Lip Cancer

Treatment

Oncologists and other specialists at Mayo Clinic work together as a multidisciplinary team to develop a comprehensive treatment plan to maximize function and appearance for each patient. The team treats lip cancer with state-of-the-art surgery, radiological procedures, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and other innovative treatments. Patients may meet with physicians working individually or as a team. Most lip cancers are diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma. Infrequently, pathologists determine the condition to be basal cell carcinoma, lymphoma, or another rare condition.

Surgery

Surgeons at Mayo Clinic use surgical techniques that maintain optimal appearance and function of the lips. Small cancers can often be treated under local anesthesia in an outpatient procedure. Larger tumors may involve specialized procedures that are planned to utilize adjacent lip and cheek tissue for the reconstruction. If the tumor has spread beyond the lip or has aggressive microscopic or clinic findings, nearby lymph nodes may need to be removed for laboratory examination. Learn more about surgery at Mayo Clinic.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy involves the use of high-energy X-rays, electron beams, or radioactive isotopes to kill cancer cells. Patients at Mayo Clinic have access to the most advanced systems of radiation treatment planning and delivery. Radiation oncologists tailor each treatment to protect nearby normal tissue. One such technology called IMRT uses digital diagnostic imaging, computers, and specialized software to conform hundreds of small radiation beams to the shape of the tumor. The result is precise dosage distributions that protect nearby normal tissue. Radiation oncologists sometimes use IMRT for advanced lip cancers that involve lymph nodes.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy involves the use of drugs to destroy cancer cells. Occasionally, in advanced cases of lip cancer, experienced medical oncologists administer chemotherapy orally or into the patient's veins.

Reconstructive Surgery

Depending upon the cancer's size and location and whether it has spread, reconstructive surgery may be necessary to restore physical appearance and function to the lips. Experienced Mayo Clinic otorhinolaryngologists and dermatologic surgeons, plastic surgeons, and oral and maxillofacial surgeons provide care that meets the unique needs of each patient.