TriangleFOR PATIENTS · SOURCE READING
Surgery
Source: Lip and Oral Cavity Cancer Treatment (PDQ®)–Patient Version, National Cancer Institute.
Source updated: May 16, 2025 · Captured 2026-09-09.
Selected source text with whitespace normalised. This Triangle page is not an NCI PDQ summary. Independent clinical review is pending.
Context: Treatment Option Overview / The following types of treatment are used:
Surgery (removing the cancer in an operation) is a common treatment for all stages of lip and oral cavity cancer. Surgery may include:
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Wide local excision is the removal of the cancer and some of the healthy tissue around it. If cancer has spread into bone, surgery may include removal of the involved bone tissue.
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Neck dissection is the removal of lymph nodes and other tissues in the neck. This is done when cancer may have spread from the lip and oral cavity.
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Plastic surgery is an operation that restores or improves the appearance of parts of the body. Dental implants, a skin graft, or other plastic surgery may be needed to repair parts of the mouth, throat, or neck after removal of large tumors.
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After the doctor removes all the cancer that can be seen at the time of the surgery, some patients may be given chemotherapy or radiation therapy after surgery to kill any cancer cells that are left. Treatment given after the surgery, to lower the risk that the cancer will come back, is called adjuvant therapy.
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Learn more about Surgery to Treat Cancer.
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Preserved source evidence · Independent clinical review pending · Not medical advice