People come into contact with the world around them through the oral cavity, so this is where inflammation is most likely to occur, which can be a major factor in the development of tumors.

Cancers of the maxillofacial region account for about 15% of tumors in the human body. Cancers of the red fringe of the lips and oral mucosa (MOB) account for approximately 5% of all malignant tumor instances.

The importance of early diagnosis of these tumors is determined not only by the frequency of occurrence, but also by the course of forms of cancer. Although tumors of the maxillofacial region are easy to observe and do not require complex diagnostic methods, half of the patients die very quickly due to them, as this group of tumors is very malignant, grows rapidly and produces early metastases, leading to early damage done to the person’s body.

SOPR cancer develops 3 times more often in men than in women. People between the ages of 60 and 70 have the highest chance of developing this type of cancer. The number of people over the age of 40 is increasing, and the number of people after age 80 dramatically drops. Numerous studies on malignant tumors have shown that in most patients they develop on pathologically altered tissue. These are mainly long-lasting inflammatory processes of various etiologies and pre-cancerous lesions.

Precancer is a dynamic state that evolves into cancer as a result of a permanent change in the properties of the cells towards malignancy. Precancer does not develop into cancer as a result of qualitative changes (time and mass), but rather as a result of changes in the biological essence of cells, the accumulation of properties inherent to a malignant cell.

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For early diagnosis and detection, it is important to know the conditions of precancerous lesions of the oral mucosa, the red fringe of the lips and the skin, as well as the factors contributing to their occurrence.

Factors contributing to precancerous lesions:

1. Mechanical irritants: occlusal abnormalities, malposition of certain teeth, poorly operated restorations and prostheses, pathological abrasion of teeth, bad habits (holding a pencil, pen, nails, etc. in the mouth).
2. Household chemical irritants: spices, highly concentrated solutions of ethyl alcohol, tobacco. The latter has a severe irritating effect on the oral mucosa. About 20% of tobacco smoke enters the body when smoked and contains a number of highly irritating byproducts: pyridine bases (the transformation of nicotine into pyridine is the most damaging aspect of the action), hydrocyanic acid, cyanide compounds, fatty acids, phenols and tarry sludge. Tobacco smoke also contains benzpyrene and arsenic. One of the irritants of smoking is the thermal factor of smoking.
3. Industrial irritants: alkalis, acids in the form of fumes and aerosols, other chemicals.
4. Chronic thermal injuries: hot foods, repeated exposure to high temperatures during smoking: burning lips with a cigarette (in the burning zone of tobacco, the temperature reaches 4000 oC), hot air during work in some factories.
5. Weather irritants: a complex of adverse environmental factors. They include exposure to sun, dust, wind, salt water aerosols at low temperatures and high humidity.
6. Biological stimuli: These are a series of microorganisms pathogenic to humans (yeasts causing increased keratinization of the tongue mucosa, pale spirochetes, Koch’s bacillus).
7. Ionizing radiation: this factor should be considered in patients who have received radiation therapy for tumors of any location, during which the surrounding oral mucosa is exposed to radiation.

One of the main causes of cancer in the maxillofacial region is poor oral health, especially the presence of decayed teeth and poor quality dentures, whose sharp edges constantly traumatize the mucosa, causing long-term unhealed wounds and ulcers.

Besides external factors, there are also anatomical and physiological factors:

• The main one is the tendency of the oral mucosa to increase its keratinization. The tendency to keratinization tends to increase with age.
• Stress conditions: the role of acute mental trauma in the development of precancerous lesions is illustrated by lichen planus.
• Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Chronic gastritis, enteritis, colitis develop para- or hyperkeratosis.
• Febrile conditions.
• Dry mouth of various etiologies.
• Lupus erythematosus, psoriasis, ichthyosis.
• Signs of precancerous lesions 

• Slow and prolonged evolution of the process (presence of an ulceration that does not heal in 2-3 weeks);
• Failure of conservative treatment;
• Increase in lesion size despite appropriate treatment;
• Appearance of a lump around or at the base of the lesion;
• Bleeding;
• Appearance of dense, enlarged, painless regional lymph nodes.
• Appearance of mobility of one or more intact teeth, accompanied by persistent pain;
• Progressively increasing paresis of the facial muscles, parasthesias and numbness in the area of the suborbital and chin nerves;

The appearance of a mass on the lips or in the mouth that does not disappear for a long time and tends to increase in size, this can be:

• A red spot,
• a whitish spot,
• an ulcer,
• a lump,
• a knot.

In lower lip cancer, a mass appears immediately at the site of an unhealed ulcer or fissure, with the edges raised above the mucosa and a pitted bottom. The tumor excretes rapidly and deeply into the underlying tissue, causing disintegration and deficiency, and a putrid, pungent odor appears.

Malignant tumors of the lower jaw are located in the area of the small and large molars, often at the edge of the removable denture. The teeth inside the tumor are mobile, the opening of the mouth is limited and swallowing is painful. All tumors of the maxillofacial region are characterized by early metastasis to the regional lymph nodes.