Oral cancer treatment

Treating oral cancer depends on several factors such as the type, size, and location of the cancer, whether it has spread, how it affects your speech and swallowing, and your overall health.

Mouth cancers are most often treated with surgery. This can involve removal of the cancer and reconstructive procedures. Penn Medicine surgeons use the latest advancements in surgical techniques.

Reconstructive facial plastic surgery may be necessary after removing tumors from the mouth. Penn Medicine’s board-certified facial plastic and reconstructive surgeons have extensive experience performing microvascular free flap reconstruction. 

Microvascular reconstructive surgery of the head and neck uses tissues from the forearm, thigh, leg, chest, and shoulder to rebuild the jaw, tongue, and floor of the mouth. For tongue cancer, surgeons use free flaps from the forearm or thigh to reconstruct the tongue, preserving speech and swallowing. For jaw and gum cancers, virtual surgical planning (VSP) is used. VSP uses computer simulation to map out how to take bones from the leg, including the fibula, to create a new jaw

Penn Medicine experts have pioneered advanced treatments for mouth cancer. Using modern, minimally invasive surgical techniques, our surgeons can remove mouth tumors and perform facial reconstruction while minimizing the side effects of traditional oral cancer surgery. 

After surgery, you may need rehabilitation for speech and swallowing. Our speech pathology team will work closely with you throughout your recovery. We offer a state-of-the-art swallowing function laboratory and specialized experts to help you regain your ability to speak after treatment.