The tongue can warn of cancer: five dangerous changes
The article lists five changes in the tongue that may indicate serious diseases, including cancer. It describes a smooth red tongue (glossitis), white patches (leukoplakia), red patches and non-healing ulcers (erythroplakia), geographic tongue, and black hairy tongue. It emphasizes that persistent changes lasting more than two weeks require a doctor's visit.
The article on Cursor Info, based on material from Egeszsegkalauz, describes five changes in the tongue that may signal serious diseases, including cancer. The first sign is a smooth and bright red tongue (glossitis), which may indicate vitamin B12 deficiency or iron deficiency anemia. The second is white patches and coating: easily removable coating may be candidiasis, while dense, non-scrapable patches may be leukoplakia, some forms of which are precancerous. The third is red patches and non-healing ulcers: persistent red areas may be erythroplakia with a high risk of malignancy, and an ulcer that does not heal for several weeks requires immediate examination, especially in smokers. The fourth is geographic tongue with migrating red areas, which is usually benign. The fifth is black hairy tongue, associated with smoking and hygiene, which is not dangerous. The article emphasizes the need to see a doctor for any change lasting more than two weeks and warns that the absence of pain does not rule out cancer. It also notes that popular schemes linking tongue areas to internal organs are unreliable.