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Oral cancer - Overview

Alternative Names

Cancer - mouth; Mouth cancer; Head and neck cancer; Squamous cell cancer - mouth

Definition of Oral cancer:

Oral cancer is cancer of the mouth.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Oral cancer most commonly involves the lips or the tongue. It may also occur on the:

Cheek lining
Floor of the mouth
Gums (gingiva)
Roof of the mouth (palate)

Most oral cancers are a type called squamous cell carcinomas. These tend to spread quickly.

Smoking and other tobacco use are linked to most cases of oral cancer. Heavy alcohol use also increases your risk for oral cancer.

Other factors that may increase the risk for oral cancer include:

Chronic irritation (such as from rough teeth, dentures, or fillings)
Human papilloma virus (HPV) infection
Taking medications that weaken the immune system (immunosuppressants)
Poor dental and oral hygiene

Some oral cancers begin as a white plaque (leukoplakia) or as a mouth ulcer.

Men get oral cancer twice as often as women do, particularly men older than 40.

Throat anatomy

Mouth anatomy

Reviewed last on: 2/28/2011
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Seth Schwartz, MD, MPH, Otolaryngologist, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

National Comprehensive Cancer Network Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology: Head and Neck Cancers. National Comprehensive Cancer Network; 2009. Version 2.2009.

Posner M. Head and neck cancer. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007: chap 200.

Wein RO, Malone JP, Weber RS. Malignant neoplasms of the oral cavity. In: Flint PW, Haughey BH, Lund VJ, et al, eds. Cummings Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. 5th ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby Elsevier; 2010:chap 96.

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