Benign Tumors
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Papilloma: Usually asymptomatic, treated with surgical excision.
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Haemangioma: May be capillary or cavernous. Treatment includes diathermy coagulation or injection of sclerosing agents. Cryotherapy and laser coagulation are also effective.
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Pleomorphic adenoma: mostly seen submucosally on the hard or soft palate. It is potentially malignant and should be excised totally
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Mucous cyst: usually seen in vallecula. Surgical excision is the treatment of choice in case of symptomatic cysts
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Lipoma
Malignant Tumors
- Common Sites: Base of tongue, tonsil and tonsillar fossa, faucial palatine arch (soft palate and anterior pillar), posterior pharyngeal wall.
- Gross Appearance: Superficially spreading, exophytic, ulcerative, infiltrative.
Treatment
Depends upon the site and extent of the disease, patients general condition, experience of treating surgeon and facilities available.
Options of treatment are: - Surgery alone - Radiation alone - Surgery+radiotherapy - Chemotherapy+surgery+radiotherapy - Palliative therapy
Team approach:
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surgeons and Radiation Oncologists SLP
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T1 and T2 –surgery or radiation
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T3 and T4 –combined modality