Gum fibroma in the oral cavity: treatment, can it resolve on its own?

Warts are classified as benign neoplasms.

They can appear on various parts of the skin and mucous membranes.

If a wart appears on the lip, it represents a cosmetic defect and can also cause discomfort to its owner, worsening the quality of life.

Forming on the lip, the tumor affects speech and interferes with eating.

A wart can cause pain, especially if it is localized on the mucous membrane inside the lip.

If measures are not taken to eliminate it, the growth may become injured, which will lead to a secondary infection.

Types of warts

A wart is a growth that rises above the surface of the skin or mucous membrane.

Its dimensions, as a rule, are no more than 1 centimeter in diameter.

The tumor can appear on any part of the body, including the face.

On the face, most often a wart forms on the lip, above or below the lip, on the buccal surface of the oral mucosa.

A warty growth can appear on both the upper and lower lips.

The following types of neoplasms are distinguished:

• Common (vulgar) warts. These are growths that have a dense structure, soft to the touch, flesh-colored or yellowish in color. New growths form on the red border of the lips. They are not painful, but tend to itch. Vulgar warts appear on the lips not only in adults, but also in children.

• Flat- shaped growths may appear on the outside of the lips or on the oral mucosa. Their surface is smooth, oval or round in shape. The color of the growth resembles the color of the skin and almost does not rise above it. The location is also the red border of the lips. Flat warts do not hurt, but they are very itchy.

• Hanging neoplasms are located on a thin stalk. At the beginning of development they resemble a bump. They have a brown, pinkish tint or close to the color of the skin.

• Filiform (acrochords). These are small growths that appear after 35 years, but can occur earlier.

• Genital warts . The localization of such growths is the mucous membrane. The new growths are elongated and arranged in groups, resembling a cockscomb or cauliflower inflorescences. The growths are prone to injury, which causes inflammation and bleeding.

The wart forms gradually and almost imperceptibly.

• At the beginning of development, a small compaction forms, which gradually increases.
• A white dot forms on the surface of the mucous membrane of the lip or in the mouth, which gradually turns into genital warts.

To date, approximately one hundred types of papillomavirus have been discovered.

Some types of growths have a benign course, while others are capable of malignancy.

They can provoke the development of cancer.

In addition to the types of growths listed above, there are also senile warts (keratoma, keratosis).

The difference between keratosis is that its appearance is not associated with papillomavirus, and keratoma does not provoke the formation of cancer.

In their development, senile warts go through several stages:

1. ✓ brown spots appear, but the wart has not yet formed
2. ✓ formation of papules and nodules
3. ✓ appearance of keratoma - when you try to scrape off the scales, bleeding appears
4. ✓ transition to the cutaneous horn, which is characterized by excessive growth and keratinization of the neoplasm

According to some experts, keratosis and senile warts belong to different diseases.

Symptoms

The tumor grows and develops quite slowly, so for a long time the patient may not even be aware of its presence in the mouth. Fibroma of the oral mucosa looks like a hemispherical growth rising above the plane, covered with pinkish tissue. If you press it, pain or other discomfort does not appear. The surface is smooth, there are no irregularities or roughness on it.

The appearance of ulcers with such a diagnosis is very rare. In such cases, an infection is usually associated with the subsequent development of the inflammatory process. Swelling, redness, erosion occur, and pain is felt. The pain persists even if you do not touch the pathological area.

If you do not injure the formation, it may not change its size for quite a long time and remain in a stable state. If it is exposed to constant traumatic effects, there is a high risk of malignant degeneration, which is dangerous to the life and health of the patient.

The difference between a wart and keratoses and cancer

Keratosis may be similar in appearance to melanoma (a type of skin cancer).

Melanoma can begin as a warty growth or as a seborrheic keratosis.

A dermatologist can distinguish them from cancer.

To exclude an oncological process, a biopsy is performed.

The peculiarity of seborrheic keratosis is that the formation is waxy, flat, and there is no pain when touched or at rest.

With cancer, a growth similar to a keratosis may change shape or color.

In this case, you will need to consult a specialist.

When should a malignant process be suspected?

A long-term pathological process on the skin of the lip without a tendency to cure with active therapeutic measures should always raise suspicion that it is of poor quality. If the “spot” does not respond to local treatment and increases in size, you should immediately consult an oncologist.

The appearance of ulcerations and bleeding, or any thickening where there used to be soft skin, should be alarming. These symptoms can be either single or in combination, but even with a single symptom, the lack of treatment result within 3 weeks can be regarded as a bad sign, which can only be “clarified” by a biopsy of the skin defect. And the sooner it is done, the better.

Causes of warts

The appearance of warts is caused by infection with papillomavirus or HPV.

Since the skin on the lips is quite thin, it is therefore easily permeable to viruses.

It should be noted that signs of infection with the human papillomavirus do not always occur.

The better the immune system, the less likely it is that symptoms of the disease will appear.

And yet, most of the world's population is infected with HPV.

The incubation period for the development of the disease can be several months or years.

As soon as the immune system fails, the first signs of infection appear.

Activation of the virus is accompanied by the formation of warts.

As a rule, growths appear on the area of ​​the skin or mucous membrane where the pathogen entered the body.

Infection can occur both through sexual contact and through household contact.

Can the virus be transmitted by kissing on the lips?

The most common cases of infection are:

• intrauterine infection of the fetus if a pregnant woman is infected with papillomavirus
• shaking hands or kissing an infected person (if there are wounds or abrasions, the risk of infection increases)
• the use of personal items of an infected person (toothbrush, dishes, lipstick) is unlikely, since the pathogen is not stable in the environment
• sex accompanied by oral sex
• visiting common areas (swimming pool, sauna, shower)

People at risk are those who:

• patients with diabetes mellitus or other pathology of the endocrine system
• suffer from obesity and metabolic disorders
• taking antibiotics for a long time
• have chronic diseases
• suffer from increased sweating, especially on the feet, as this is where plantar warts often form

A malfunction of the immune system can occur for the following reasons:

• If there is a deficiency of essential substances in the body
• After suffering stress or physical exhaustion
• In case of hormone imbalance: during puberty, during pregnancy, with the onset of menopause, during treatment with hormonal drugs
• In case of chronic lack of sleep and overwork
• Due to a recent infectious disease
• If a person abuses smoking and alcoholic beverages

Diagnosis of warts

The main diagnostic method is to examine the patient's face for the presence of warts on the lips and oral mucosa.

To confirm or refute the presence of HPV, it is enough to take tests:

1. ✓ Blood tests for antibodies
2. ✓ To conduct a histological examination (biopsy), a small part of the tumor is taken for analysis
3. ✓ The PCR technique allows you to detect the genetic material of a pathogen with one hundred percent probability

Before getting rid of the growth, you should visit an oncologist.

A specialist will use dermatoscopy to determine the condition of the wart to rule out signs of malignancy.

Stages of lip cancer

Lip cancer is classified as a visual localization, because it is very easy to notice even with the naked eye. However, almost a third of patients have no complaints about the condition of their lip, and do not believe that a chronically existing crack on it could be cancer. As a rule, such patients consult a doctor for another reason, and the doctor, noticing this pathology, refers the patient for a consultation with an oncologist. This process is called “active discovery.”

In 2014, stages I–II of lip cancer were detected in 85.2% of patients, while a tumor measuring up to 2 cm is considered stage 1 cancer, stage 2 is a tumor measuring more than 2 cm and less than 4 cm. At these stages, tumors are detected without metastases to the lymph nodes and anywhere else. A lip tumor relatively rarely metastasizes to regional lymph nodes - no more than a dozen out of a hundred patients. As a rule, metastases go to the mental and submandibular lymph nodes. For infrequent tumors of the upper lip or commissure - the corner of the mouth, on the contrary, damage to the lymph nodes is rather the norm.

Stage III includes lip tumors larger than 4 cm or smaller cancer, but with metastases to the lymph node. The size of the lymph node should not exceed 3 cm. In 2014, stage III was diagnosed in 9.7% of patients. A lip tumor of any size, but with metastases to one or more lymph nodes larger than 3 cm, is already considered stage IV. Systemic metastasis to other organs in lip cancer is very rare, occurring only in every seventh patient diagnosed with stage IV cancer. The last stage was detected in 4%. Within a year after the diagnosis of a malignant neoplasm, 4.5% die, which is 120 people.

Clinical manifestations of warts on the lip

A wart on the lip does not appear the next day after the papilloma virus enters the body.

The incubation period can last from six months to several years.

This often occurs when the immune system malfunctions.

Having penetrated the skin or mucous membrane, the virus integrates its genetic material into human cells and thus begins to multiply.

As a result, characteristic neoplasms appear at the site of virus introduction.

The pathogen provokes warty growths, disrupting the processes of keratinization of the skin.

Oncogenic strains of papillomavirus change the genetic apparatus of cells in such a way that a malignant formation is formed.

Is it necessary to remove a wart on the lip?

Removal of the tumor is carried out if there are indications for this.

The growths sometimes disappear spontaneously.

Therefore, if the wart is small and does not cause much concern, then there is no need for removal.

The decision to excise the growth must be made by a specialist.

If a wart causes discomfort in the form of itching, burning, pain, grows, becomes inflamed, or changes in appearance.

If it has increased in size, changed shape and color, or is bleeding, then it must be removed by resorting to excision by one of the methods.

Removing a tumor at home is not safe.

As a result of incorrect actions:

• It may not be possible to remove the wart completely, which will cause its reappearance
• the risk of injury to healthy tissues that surround the growth increases
• scars and cicatrices may form

Wart treatment

Treatment of any growth on the lips begins with a medical examination and determining whether the growth is malignant.

Next, the doctor selects a method of therapy.

In case of a malignant form, the patient is referred to an oncologist, who will decide how to treat the patient.

Treatment of the disease is complex.

Treatment consists of the main stages: removal of the growth and drug therapy.

Removal of the tumor can be done in one of the following ways:

1. ✓ Using pharmaceutical products
2. ✓ In a medical institution where modern excision techniques will be used
3. ✓ Folk remedies. The use of alternative medicine methods must be agreed with a doctor

Treatment of oral fibroids

Surgery remains the most effective and most common therapeutic method. The seal is excised using a laser or radio waves. This procedure lasts about half an hour. If the tumor is very large, after its removal the wound is covered with a flap, which is formed by the doctor from the surrounding tissue.

When pathology is caused by taking certain medications, they should be completely eliminated and replaced with alternatives with similar properties. After discontinuation of drugs in such cases, the appearance of the mucous membranes is often restored without outside help, and the likelihood of relapse approaches zero. However, this does not apply to situations where the disease is advanced.

Surgery can also be avoided in case of traumatic effects of orthopedic structures. For example, when a crown, filling, or prosthesis puts pressure on the tissue. Elimination of the provoking factor often leads to a decrease or complete disappearance of a benign formation. Most likely, it will be necessary to dismantle the old structures and replace them with new ones.

On the Internet you can find stories of healing using home remedies. It is worth remembering that the disease cannot be treated with the help of folk recipes. Herbal decoctions and infusions, and other compositions are used only as an auxiliary element of complex therapy.

Pharmacy products for removing warts

You can buy medications at the pharmacy that will help you deal with warts at home.

Among them:

• Super clean . The product is an alkaline solution that has a chemical effect on the growth, causing cauterization.
• Cryopharma, Wartner . These agents cause cryodestruction of the wart; as a result of cold exposure, the neoplasm is frozen.
• Solcoderm . A drug containing acids that have a cauterizing and mummifying effect on pathological tissues.
• Immunomodulators – Viferon, Oxolinic ointment will help increase immunity and the body’s fight against the virus.
• Antiviral agents – Isoprinosine, Interferon.

The use of cauterizing agents on the lips and face is extremely undesirable; application of these agents to the oral mucosa is especially dangerous.

Wart removal in the clinic

The clinic uses modern hardware techniques to excise growths:

1. Laser therapy . The method allows you to quickly and without blood remove the growth. There is no discomfort during the procedure, as pain relief is performed. During one session, you can get rid of several tumors in a very short time. The method is suitable not only for adults, but also for children. The likelihood of relapse is minimized. Skin defects in the form of scars after laser use are very rare.

1. Radio wave therapy . The technique is considered the safest. When excising a wart using a radio wave, there is no contact with the skin. It is not always possible to completely remove the growth. The procedure leaves no traces of impact.
2. Electrocoagulation . The procedure requires anesthesia. Using an electrode to which a high-frequency electric current is applied, the wart is burned out, followed by cutting off the growth with a special metal loop. Scarring may appear after removal.
3. Cryodestruction . Liquid nitrogen is used and the wart is treated until it turns white. As a result of exposure to low temperatures, the growth tissues die. There is no need for anesthesia for the manipulation. The disadvantage of the technique is the lack of control over the depth of nitrogen exposure. For this reason, frequent relapses occur.
4. Surgical. Removal is done using a scalpel. The disadvantage of the procedure is the formation of a scar, so this technique is used only for certain indications (in case of malignancy of the process and large size of the wart).

Treatment of papillomas, condylomas (HPV)

• performed on the body by a dermatologist-cosmetologist,
• on the male genitals - urologist,
• for women - a gynecologist,
• in the area of ​​the anus and perineum - a proctologist.

There is now a treatment that is highly likely to eliminate HPV infection. Modern treatment for genital warts can not only remove or reduce the symptoms of the disease, it eliminates the HPV infection and prevents further transmission of the virus in many cases. However, after any treatment method, relapses are possible.

• Laser removal of genital warts is performed under local anesthesia.
• Electrocoagulation, removal of genital warts using high temperature, is carried out under local anesthesia.
• Interferon blockades (genital warts are injected with an interferon drug).
• Radio wave removal of condylomas. Today, the most effective method for removing genital warts. There is no trace left of condylomas.