Topic Overview

Oral cancer is the growth of abnormal cells in any part of the mouth or lips. Most oral cancers start in the lining of the lips or mouth where you have thin, flat cells called squamous cells.

Risk factors (things that increase your risk) for oral cancer include smoking (or using smokeless tobacco) and heavy alcohol use. Other risk factors are being male, using marijuana, or having human papillomavirus (HPV). For cancers of the lip, exposure over a long period of time to ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun or from tanning beds increases risk.

Symptoms for oral cancer include sores or lumps on the lips or in your mouth. Talk to your doctor if you have any of these signs:

• A sore on your lip or in your mouth that bleeds easily and does not heal
• A lump or thickening on your lips, gums, cheek, or in your mouth
• A white or red patch on your gums, your tongue, tonsils, or the lining of your mouth
• A sore throat or a feeling that something is caught in your throat
• Unexplained difficulty chewing, swallowing, speaking, or moving your jaw or tongue
• Numbness or pain in your tongue or other areas of your lips or mouth
• Swelling in your jaw that makes your teeth loose or your dentures fit poorly
• Changes in your voice
• Dry mouth (xerostomia)

Your dentist or doctor may look closely at your lips, mouth, or throat to check for signs of oral cancer. Other tests may be needed if there are possible signs of cancer, such as a biopsy, an X-ray, or an MRI.

Oral cancer is usually treated with surgery and radiation therapy. Your treatment will depend on the stage of your cancer and your other health factors. If the cancer is advanced, other treatments such as chemotherapy may be used.

For additional information on oral cancer, see the following topics:

• Lip and Oral Cavity Cancer – Health Professional Information [NCI PDQ]
• Lip and Oral Cavity Cancer – Patient Information [NCI PDQ]

Prevention

Researchers are studying how people can make changes in their lifestyles to reduce their risk for cancer. One lifestyle change that may reduce the risk for oral cancer is eating fruits and fibre-rich vegetables.

Take the following steps to prevent oral cancer:

• Don't use tobacco in any form.
• Drink alcohol only in moderation.
• Use sun protection on your lips, such as a lip balm that has sunscreen or a coloured lipstick.
• Get dental checkups twice a year so that signs of oral cancer can be detected early.

Some combinations, such as using tobacco and drinking alcohol, increase the risk more than using tobacco or drinking alcohol. The same is true for using marijuana if you have high-risk HPV infection.

What To Think About

Treatment for oral cancer is usually provided by a team of doctors who are experts in treating head and neck cancers. The team may include a medical oncologist, a head and neck surgeon, an oral (maxillofacial) surgeon, or a radiation oncologist. Depending on your treatment, you may have help from other specialists, such as a speech therapist or a plastic surgeon.

Clinical trials

Clinical trials for oral cancer look at new ways to treat oral cancer. Treatments being studied include:

• Chemotherapy.
• Hyperfractionated radiation therapy, which is giving the total dose of radiation therapy in many small treatments, often more than one a day.
• Hyperthermia therapy, where body tissue is heated above normal temperatures. This kills cancer cells or makes them more sensitive to radiation or medicines.

Sometimes a clinical trial offers the best treatment choice. Your medical team will let you know if there is a clinical trial that might be good for you. For more information, see www.cancer.gov/clinical_trials or http://clinicaltrials.gov. This U.S. government website includes information on clinical trials in Canada.