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If you need to undergo surgery, you will be given a general anesthetic and the cancerous growth will be removed, afterward, you will be treated with radiation therapy which uses high-energy beams that kill cancer cells or you may have chemotherapy which uses chemicals to kill the cells. Your doctor may also suggest targeted drug therapy, which alters specific aspects of cancer cells that fuel their growth. When you have advanced oral cancer, you may need immunotherapy, which uses your immune system to fight the cells.
The type of treatment that you undergo will determine the length of stay in South Korea. If you undergo surgery, you should stay for at least 7 to 14 days. If you have therapy, your length of stay depends on how many cycles are required for your specific case.
Recovery from oral cancer will take a significant amount of time and you will need to rest completely for 4 weeks, but you should be able to go back to work within 6 to 8 weeks.
After surgery, you may need a tube to help you eat, which may be inserted into your stomach. Rehabilitation is also important if you have advanced cancer, which includes speech therapy. You also need to schedule follow-up appointments with your local doctor so they can monitor your condition and progress.
The success rate for oral cancer treatment depends on how early the patient gets treated. Those who are treated early can have over 83% survival rates. Surgery carries risks of infection, bleeding, as well as changing the way you speak eat and swallow. Therapy also has side effects, such as mouth ulcers, stiff jaw, loss of appetite, loss of taste, hair loss, diarrhea, and headache.
The alternatives are watching your nutrition and keeping your mouth healthy, but you still need treatment to treat cancer. If you have mouth issues that could turn into cancer or if the cancer is in its earliest stage, you can undergo photodynamic therapy (PDT).
This information has been accurately sourced and verified by a medical professional for its accuracy, however, we strongly recommend you to consult with your doctor before pursuing medical procedures overseas.