Risk of oral cancer
Screening tests for oral cancer

Oral cancer may develop in any of the following areas:

• Lips.
• Oral cavity, which includes:
  • The front two thirds of the tongue.
  • The gingiva (gums).
  • The buccal mucosa (the lining of the inside of the cheeks).
  • The floor (bottom) of the mouth under the tongue.
  • The hard palate (the roof of the mouth).
  • The retromolar trigone (the small area behind the wisdom teeth).
• Oropharynx, which includes:
  • The middle part of the pharynx (throat) behind the mouth.
  • The back one-third of the tongue.
  • The soft palate.
  • The side and back walls of the throat.
  • The tonsils.

Salivary glands are located throughout the oral cavity and oropharynx.

This summary will describe the risk factors and screening tests associated with oral cancer.

The number of new cases of oral cancer, as well as the number of deaths from oral cancer, has been decreasing.

Anything that increases a person’s chance of developing a disease is called a risk factor. Some of these risk factors for oral cancer are as follows:

Sex: Men have a slightly higher risk of developing oral cancer than women.

Race: The risk of developing oral cancer is higher in blacks than in whites.

Age: The risk of developing oral cancer increases after age 45 years.

Tobacco and Alcohol Use: The use of tobacco (including smokeless tobacco) and alcohol increases the risk of developing oral cancer.

HPV Infection: Infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) increases the risk of developing cancer of the oropharynx.

Screening for oral cancer may be done during a physical examination by the dentist or doctor. High-risk areas of the mouth that can be checked for early detection are the floor of the mouth, the front and sides of the tongue, and the soft palate. The exam will include looking for lesions on the mucous membranes, including leukoplakia (white patches) and erythroplakia (red patches). Oral cancer sometimes develops in areas with these lesions. It is not known, however, if screening decreases the risk of dying from oral cancer. Early- stage oral cancer can be cured, but most oral cancers have spread by the time they are found.

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