Oral & Tongue Cancer Treatment in Lucknow, UP

Cancer of the mouth — tongue, cheek, gum, lip or the floor of the mouth. It is the leading cause of cancer death among men in India, and when it is caught early it is also one of the most curable.

The short answer

If an ulcer or white patch in your mouth has not healed in three weeks, it needs to be examined — not treated with another course of medicine. Most such patches are harmless. The ones that are not are entirely treatable at an early stage, and far harder to treat six months later.

Signs worth acting on

01An ulcer that will not healPresent for more than three weeks, often painless at first
02A white or red patchLeukoplakia or erythroplakia on the tongue, cheek or gum
03Difficulty opening the mouthReduced mouth opening, common in tobacco and areca nut users
04A lump in the neckA painless swelling that persists
05Loose teeth or a change in biteWithout any dental cause

How it is treated at CoreOnco

Surgery is the primary treatment for most oral cancers. The tumour is removed with a clear margin, the lymph nodes in the neck are assessed and usually removed, and the defect is reconstructed in the same operation wherever possible — which is where microvascular reconstruction matters. Radiotherapy or chemotherapy may follow depending on the final pathology.

Our practice performs the excision and the reconstruction under one surgical team, so function, speech and appearance are planned from the start rather than dealt with later.

What does oral cancer treatment cost?

For private patients, oral cancer surgery at a good Lucknow hospital typically runs ₹1.5–4 lakh, rising to ₹2.5–6 lakh where free-flap reconstruction rebuilds the jaw or mouth floor in the same operation — the reconstruction, not the removal, is usually the largest line. Radiotherapy afterwards, where needed, is costed separately.

For families eligible under Ayushman PM-JAY, oral cancer surgery — including reconstruction performed as part of it — admission and chemotherapy fall within the scheme packages at our network hospitals, and are treated cashless once the package and pre-authorisation are approved. Our counsellor checks the applicable hospital, package and authorisation before admission, and every patient gets the complete figure for their specific case in writing before consenting.

Sources

Khanna D, Mishra A, Birur P, et al. A prospective study on diagnostic accuracy of technology-enabled early detection of oral cancer and epidemiology of tobacco and other substances use in rural India. Cancer. 2025;131(1):e35702. doi:10.1002/cncr.35702 Supports: Lip and oral cavity cancer as the leading cause of cancer death among Indian men.
Vaish R, Mittal N, Mahajan A, Rane SU, Agrawal A, D'Cruz AK. Sentinel node biopsy in node negative early oral cancers: Solution to the conundrum! Oral Oncol. 2022;134:106070. doi:10.1016/j.oraloncology.2022.106070 Supports: Elective neck dissection offering a survival benefit in node-negative early oral cancer — and why we say "usually", not "always".
Clinical aspects of oral cancer and potentially malignant disorders in South and Southeast Asia. Oral Dis. 2024. doi:10.1111/odi.15008 Supports: Tobacco, gutkha and areca nut as the dominant risk factors in this region, and the case for annual screening of users.

Common questions

Is oral cancer curable?

Yes, particularly at stages I and II, where long-term survival after surgery is high. Outcomes fall sharply as the tumour grows and involves the neck nodes, which is why a three-week-old ulcer should never be left.

Will I be able to speak and eat normally afterwards?

This is the purpose of reconstruction. For most early and intermediate tumours, speech and swallowing recover well. For larger tumours we plan the reconstruction before we operate and involve speech and swallowing therapy during recovery.

Is the treatment covered by Ayushman Bharat?

Oral cancer surgery, admission and chemotherapy are covered under PM-JAY for eligible families. Our counsellor will verify your card and complete the pre-authorisation before admission.

I chew tobacco. Should I be screened?

Yes. Anyone using tobacco, gutkha or areca nut should have their mouth examined at least once a year. Screening takes a few minutes and is free at our camps.

Treatments used for oral & tongue cancer

01Surgical Oncology →Removing the tumour with clear margins — the foundation of curative cancer treatment
02Reconstructive & Microvascular Surgery →Rebuilding jaw, tongue and face in the same operation — speech and appearance preserved
03Laser Surgery →Precise removal of early lesions with minimal tissue damage
04Chemotherapy →Drug treatment before or after surgery, as daycare or admission
05Rehabilitative Care →Speech, swallowing and physical recovery after treatment

Oral Cancer