What is the life expectancy for tongue cancer?

Introduction

Cancer of the tongue is a malignant disease of the tongue, which can be triggered in particular by cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption. If tongue cancer is detected early and treated in time, life expectancy is higher than in advanced stages. In general, however, life expectancy also depends on the age and general state of health of the person affected.

Life expectancy for tongue cancer

A general statement about the life expectancy for tongue cancer can hardly be made, as this can vary greatly from person to person due to various factors such as age and state of health. Life expectancy can vary and depends on many different circumstances, such as the size and extent of the tumor, the aggressiveness of its growth and a possible infestation of other organs or lymph nodes. In addition, even when all factors are taken into account, it can never be predicted with certainty how long one has to live with a certain disease.

Even under identical conditions, the life expectancy of two people with tongue cancer can differ by many years. Nevertheless, there are different figures that have been collected from other patients with tongue cancer and can give an orientation regarding life expectancy. How good the quality of life is and with what restrictions the patient may have to live after surgery is not taken into account when asking about life expectancy.

  • If one summarizes all people with tongue cancer, regardless of the stage of the disease and the therapy administered, the average life expectancy is nine years after diagnosis of the disease.
  • The group of patients who have not undergone surgery have an average life expectancy of only two years.
  • Life expectancy for women is in the majority slightly higher than for men.

In the case of tongue cancer, life expectancy is most positively influenced by discovering the disease as early as possible and initiating any necessary treatment in time and carrying it out consistently. Therefore, one should not hesitate to go to the doctor if one notices a newly developed space requirement on the tongue. In addition, the average life expectancy is higher if the patient’s state of health is good and there are no other accompanying diseases.

A healthy lifestyle with a lot of exercise and a balanced diet is important for a good state of health and can lead to an improvement of the body’s immune system. Since cigarette smoking or excessive consumption of alcohol are among the main risk factors for the development of tongue cancer, life expectancy is positively influenced if smoking is stopped and alcohol is consumed only in moderation. Furthermore, life expectancy can be positively influenced if the follow-up examinations recommended after treatment are taken in time.

A possible new outbreak of the disease or an expansion of its scope can thus be treated early and, if necessary, in time. This might be of interest to you: Nutrition in cancer Life expectancy in tongue cancer is negatively influenced especially if the cancer is diagnosed late and at a very advanced stage. Especially if the tumor has already spread and there is evidence of metastases in other organs such as the lungs, life expectancy is not very high.

Life expectancy is also adversely affected if an actually necessary treatment is not carried out, for example because the patient does not want to live with the consequences of a radical operation or the state of health does not permit a therapy. If an operation could not cut out the entire tumor, the average remaining life expectancy is significantly lower than after complete removal of the cancer. A poor general condition of the affected person, old age and concomitant diseases of other organs are further factors that negatively influence the life expectancy of tongue cancer.

In addition, malnutrition and underweight in cancer in general are factors for which the prognosis is worse. Smoking and drinking of alcohol are also significantly involved in the development of tongue cancer. Continued nicotine and alcohol consumption has a negative effect on life expectancy, as there is also a risk of further cancer.If it is already established at the time of diagnosis of tongue cancer that the disease has metastasized (daughter ulcers) to other organs or that these metastases occur in the course of the disease, the average life expectancy is significantly worse than in a stage limited to the tongue.

Nevertheless, an individual life expectancy cannot be predicted accurately. In some people with metastatic tongue cancer, a rapid progression leading to death within a few months is possible. In other patients, the disease may continue for years, although survival beyond three years is highly unlikely.

A relapse, usually referred to as a recurrence in medicine, is generally possible in cancer and can also occur in tongue cancer. A tumor that has shrunk as a result of treatment can grow again or cancerous tumors can form again after surgical removal. In general, recurrences occur most frequently within the first 5 years after the initial diagnosis and initial treatment.

The average life expectancy is most negatively affected by an early relapse within the first year. If it is possible to completely remove the tumor mass in the event of a relapse, life expectancy may be only slightly affected by the relapse. Therefore, regular follow-up examinations following tongue cancer treatment are of great importance in order to achieve the best possible life expectancy in case of a relapse.