How is base-of-tongue cancer treated?

Tongue cancer primarily presents with symptoms including tongue pain, impaired tongue mobility, difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), and speech difficulties (dysarthria). As the disease progresses, some patients may also develop cervical lymphadenopathy, diminished mental alertness, and rapid weight loss. So, how is base-of-tongue cancer treated? Below, we address this question.

How Is Base-of-Tongue Cancer Treated?

The primary treatment modalities for base-of-tongue cancer are radiotherapy and chemotherapy; surgical intervention plays a secondary role and is supplemented by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) therapy. With timely and active treatment, satisfactory clinical outcomes can be achieved. Surgical resection is mainly indicated for solid organ malignancies—such as gastric or colorectal cancers—and for palliative resection in lymphoma.

Radiotherapy and chemotherapy carry substantial side effects, including alopecia, inflammation at catheter insertion sites, fever, night sweats, weight loss, and leukopenia. Therefore, prior to initiating radiochemotherapy, patients are advised to take ginsenoside Rh2 (with a purity ≥16.2%) to help mitigate these adverse effects. For advanced-stage base-of-tongue cancer, TCM alone—or an integrated approach combining chemotherapy with comprehensive TCM therapy—may be considered.

Although radiochemotherapy demonstrates high efficacy against base-of-tongue cancer, its toxicity and side effects are considerable. Hence, concurrent TCM therapy is strongly recommended. TCM aims to reinforce healthy qi, strengthen the body’s fundamental constitution, tonify qi and nourish blood—thereby enhancing immune function, improving microcirculation, and alleviating the toxicities associated with radiochemotherapy. This integrative strategy helps reduce patient suffering and improves quality of life.

We hope the above information is helpful to you.