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Usually affecting the tongue, lips, cheeks, floor of the mouth, gums, and palate, it can also affect other areas.
Tobacco use (smoking and chewing), too much alcohol, human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, poor oral hygiene, and prolonged sun exposure—especially for lip cancer—are major risk factors. Men over forty are more at risk, while HPV is causing incidences among younger people to rise.
Oral cancer can cause a persistent sore or ulcer in the mouth or neck, numbness, vocal changes, inexplicable bleeding, or a lump or thickening in the mouth or neck.
Effective treatment requires early identification. Usually, diagnosis calls for imaging studies, a clinical exam, and a biopsy. Depending on the stage and location of the cancer, treatment choices could call for surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or targeted therapy.
Early detection of oral cancer and prevention can be aided by regular dental visits and lifestyle adjustments, including tobacco cessation and alcohol reduction.