Keep calm when you get a diagnosis

Keeping Your Cool

Further chapters from „Changes“

Why oral self-examination

It is very common for individuals with FA to have changes in the mouth and tongue that appear and then disappear. In addition, their mouths can look very different.

You can see that from the sample pictures that you find HERE.

Early changes are mostly harmless

After many years of scientific work, our experience with changes in the oral mucosa of FA patients has shown that over 85% of these changes are completely harmless. Of the other 15%, only a very small percentage already showed the development of a tumor and mostly at a very early stage.
However, it is still important to notice and monitor these changes because these spots may continue to change – and recognizing this as early as possible is the key.

Many causes are possible

Even if you are worried when you first discover something in your mouth, you should understand that there can be many reasons for such changes. They can be related to simple superficial injuries, cornification, and bacterial or viral infections. Fungal infections are also common in FA. It is possible to have cell changes – small and large – all without it being cancer.

I saw a spot in my mouth – what should I do?

Even the best specialists cannot make a confirmed diagnosis using only visual inspection. Changes must always be assessed using cell samples in a special laboratory. The only way to confirm whether the change is harmless or not is to take a cell sample (by means of a brush biopsy or scalpel biopsy).
Your oral self-examination is NOT intended to replace your physician!

ALWAYS go to your doctor directly when

the spot you discovered

does not go away after 2-3 weeks,
increases in size, hurts or starts to bleed, or
seems somehow “strange” to you (for example, different than what you normally see in your mouth) and you are worried about it.

Basic knowlege

Here you can find detailed info on how cancer can develop in oral mucosa.

Contacts

Get in contact with the staff of FARF with any questions you may have.

Support

Get in contact with the team „Cancer awareness in FA“.