Tongue Cancer
Treatment in Malaysia

At Onco Life Centre, our team takes a personalized approach to treating tongue cancer. We focus not only on treating the disease, but also on supporting the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of our patients every step of the way.

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Understanding Tongue Cancer Types

Several types of cancer grow in the tongue, but squamous cell carcinoma is the most common. Squamous cells are thin, flat cells that line the mouth and other organs.

Cancer of the oral tongue occurs in the front two-thirds of the tongue. Cancer of the base of the tongue is the back one-third of the tongue that extends down the throat.

Why Choose Onco Life Centre?

Expertise You Can Trust, Innovation You Can Count On

Over 20 Years of
Experience

Our highly-qualified consultant oncologists boast extensive experience treating a vast array of cancers. Their training at prestigious institutions in Australia and the UK ensures exceptional expertise that you can trust.

Collaboration with
Leading Genomics Experts

For complex cases, our oncologists collaborate with leading genomics specialists in the US. This ensures access to the latest treatments for all cancer types.

Unmatched
patient experience

You and your healthcare experience are at the centre of what we do at Onco Life Centre. Our core values of Empathy, Dedication, Professionalism and Service Quality have driven us since our earliest days.

Treatment Methods

Treatment recommendations by our cancer specialists at Onco Life Centre are tailored and personalized and depends on tumor stage, tumor genomics, pre-existing medical conditions, your overall health and nutritional status.

Targeted therapy and immunotherapy is the foundation of precision medicine. Our Oncologists at Onco Life Centre work in close collaboration with Cancer Genomics Experts in the US to perform cancer gene mapping and DNA sequencing on our patients’ cancer tissue. Regular teleconferencing and live exchange of information with the US Genomics Experts allows our Oncologists to specifically design unique treatment plans for our patients. By targeting specific genes and proteins that are involved in driving cancer survival and progression, our patients at Onco Life Centre are experiencing significant and sustained improvements in their cancer responses and living longer.

At Onco Life Centre, we have made it our mission to improve the everyday lives of our patients. Our Oncologists and Pharmacists will seek to identify Compassionate Drug Access Programs that allows pre-approved new drugs outside clinical trials (and prior to product launch) for our patients who do not have satisfactory therapy options available.

Click to find out more about targeted therapy and immunotherapy.

Targeted therapy

Targeted therapy targets the cancer’s specific genes, proteins, or the tissue environment that contributes to cancer growth and survival. To find the most effective treatment, our oncologist may run tests to identify the genes, proteins, and other factors in your tumor.

Drugs that target the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) protein on the surface of tongue cancer cells can help slow or stop cancer cell growth. EGFR inhibitors can be combined with radiotherapy in earlier stage cancers. For more advanced cancers, it maybe combined with chemotherapy or maybe used by itself.

Please click here to learn more about Targeted Therapy

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is designed to boost your body’s natural defenses to fight cancer. The PD-1 pathway is critical in the immune system’s ability to control cancer growth. PD-1 and PD-L1 antibodies block this pathway and can stop the growth of tongue cancer.

There are two specific antibody drugs that target PD-1, a protein on T cells in the immune system. By blocking PD-1, these drugs boost the immune response against cancer cells.

Please click here to learn more about Immunotherapy

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is prescribed for different reasons:

Together with radiotherapy as an alternative to surgery (called chemo radiation)
After surgery to decrease the risk of the cancer returning
To slow the growth of a tumor and control symptoms when the cancer cannot be cured (palliative treatment)

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy, including intensity modulated radiation therapy, stops cancer cells from dividing and slows the growth of the tumor. Radiotherapy also destroys cancer cells and can eliminate tumors. Intensity modulated radiation therapy allows the use of more effective radiation doses with fewer side effects than conventional radiotherapy techniques.

Surgery (Oral Tongue)

Surgical removal of the primary tumor might be the only treatment needed for small oral tongue cancers. If the tumor is large and has spread to neck nodes, the surgeon may recommend removal of these affected nodes.

Surgery for large tumors may affect speech and swallowing. However, with the latest reconstructive techniques, most speech and swallowing problems can be restored.

Surgery (Base of the Tongue)

The base of the tongue cancer is often diagnosed later with spread to the neck nodes. The affected neck nodes frequently need to be removed. The only early symptom is ear pain. Voice change and difficult swallowing occur later.

Tongue Cancer Staging

T (tumour)

T describes the size of the tumour (area of cancer).

There are 4 main T stages of HPV positive oropharyngeal cancer. These are T1 to T4.

T1

T1 means that the cancer tumour size is less than 2cm.

T2

T2 means that the cancer tumour is larger than 2cm, but smaller than 4cm.

T3

T3 means one of the following:

The cancer tumour size is larger than 4cm
The cancer cells have spread into the flap of tissue (epiglottis) at the top of the voice box (larynx)

T4

T4 means that the cancer cells have spread into nearby areas, such as the voice box (larynx), the jawbone (mandible), or muscles connecting the tongue to the jawbone (extrinsic muscles).

Transparency You Can Trust

At Onco Life Centre, we understand the financial burden associated with Tongue cancer treatment. We are committed to transparency and will provide you with a personalized cost estimate during your initial consultation. Here is an estimate:

Chemotherapy

The cost for treating tongue cancer using chemotherapy for most of our patients is around MYR4,000 per cycle.

Targeted Therapy:

Adding in Targeted Therapy can go up to MYR5,000, depending on the specific type of targeted therapy drug used.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy can range from MYR8,000 and above depending on the specific type and dosage of immunotherapy drugs used.

Symptoms and signs of tongue cancer

The symptoms of tongue cancer might include:

a red or white patch on the tongue that does not go away
persistent sore throat that does not seem to heal
a sore spot (ulcer) or lump on the tongue that does not go away
pain when swallowing
numbness in the mouth for a long period of time
pain or burning feeling over the tongue
difficulty moving your tongue or speaking
a lump in the neck
bleeding from the tongue (excluding accidental self-biting your tongue or another injury)

Diagnosis of tongue cancer

If any tumors, growths, or suspicious lesions, the specialist will perform a brush biopsy or a tissue biopsy. A brush biopsy is a painless test that collects cells from the tumor by brushing them onto a slide. A tissue biopsy involves removing a piece of the tissue so it can be examined under a microscope for cancerous cells.

In addition, one or more of the following tests may be performed:

X-rays to see if cancer cells have spread to the jaw, chest, or lungs
a CT scan to reveal any tumors in your mouth, throat, neck, lungs, or elsewhere in your body
a PET scan to determine if the cancer has traveled to lymph nodes or other organs
an MRI scan to show a more accurate image of the head and neck, and determine the extent or stage of the cancer
an endoscopy to examine the nasal passages, sinuses, inner throat, windpipe, and trachea

Start Your Recovery

Our dedicated Patient Navigator will assist you with appointment scheduling. Contact us at +6012-3993260 (Call or Whatsapp ).

First Consultation

On appointment day, bring along all the medical reports and your identity documents, ie. identity card or passport. Our team will help you organize the medical reports for our oncologist to review. Our oncologist will discuss the treatment plan with you. Tele-consult is available for overseas patients.

Treatment Day

Come to our center on an agreed date and time for the treatment. Our team will take good care of you. You will be discharged on the same day. Yes, you will get to go home after every treatment visit as no overnight admission is required.

Stay on Track

Our dedicated patient navigator will be following up with you post treatment to check on your condition, to ensure that you are doing well. You will receive a reminder message on your phone for the next appointment date.