Avoidance of Tobacco
Avoidance of Alcohol
Dietary Factors
Sun Exposure

Note: Separate PDQ summaries on Oral Cancer Screening; ¹ Lip and Oral Cavity Cancer Treatment; ² and Prevention and Cessation of Cigarette Smoking: Control of Tobacco Use ³ are also available.

Based on solid evidence, avoidance or cessation of exposure to tobacco (e.g., cigarettes, pipes, cigars, and smokeless tobacco) would lead to a decrease in oral cancer.

Description of the Evidence

• Study Design: Evidence of association and reduced risk obtained from cohort or case-control studies.
• Internal Validity: Good.
• Consistency: Good.
• Magnitude of Effects on Health Outcomes: Decreased risk, moderate to large magnitude.
• External Validity: Good.

Although alcohol use is a risk factor for oral cancer, there is inadequate evidence that cessation of alcohol use decreases the risk of oral cancer.

Description of the Evidence

• Study Design: Evidence of association only from cohort or case-control studies.
• Internal Validity: Good.
• Consistency: Good.
• Magnitude of Effects on Health Outcomes: Decreased risk, moderate magnitude.
• External Validity: Good.

Oral cancer risk is highest in persons using both alcohol and tobacco, compared with those using one or the other.

There is inadequate evidence to determine whether a change in diet would decrease the risk of oral cancer.

Description of the Evidence

• Study Design: Evidence of association only obtained from cohort or case-control studies.
• Internal Validity: Inadequate.
• Consistency: Not applicable (N/A).
• Magnitude of Effects on Health Outcomes: N/A.
• External Validity: N/A.

There is inadequate evidence to determine whether reducing sun exposure would prevent lip cancer.

Description of the Evidence

• Study Design: Evidence of association only obtained from cohort or case-control studies.
• Internal Validity: Inadequate.
• Consistency: N/A.
• Magnitude of Effects on Health Outcomes: N/A.
• External Validity: N/A.