Oral, or mouth, cancer, refers to a range of conditions that can affect your gums, lips, tongue, or other tissues in and around your mouth. Oral cancer commonly causes long-lasting sores or lumps inside your mouth. Left untreated, these cancers can cause damage to your teeth and spread to other areas of your mouth, throat and other parts of your body.
Most oral cancers are squamous cell carcinomas, meaning that they are caused by mutations in the squamous cells that line the inside of your mouth. During your oral cancer screening in New Bern, Dr. McGowen will look for any abnormalities to provide the best service for our patients.