Oral cavity cancer and oropharyngeal cancer are diseases in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the mouth or throat.

The term oral cancer is used to describe cancer that forms in the tissues of the oral cavity or the oropharynx.

Oral cavity cancer forms in any of these tissues of the oral cavity:

• 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 front, bony part of the roof of the mouth).
• The retromolar trigone (the small area behind the wisdom teeth).

Figure

Anatomy of the oral cavity. The oral cavity includes the lips, hard palate (the bony front portion of the roof of the mouth), soft palate (the muscular back portion of the roof of the mouth), retromolar trigone (the area behind the wisdom teeth), front (more...)

Oropharyngeal cancer forms in tissues of the oropharynx:

• The middle part of the pharynx (throat) behind the mouth.
• The back third of the tongue.
• The soft palate (the back, soft part of the roof of the mouth).
• The side and back walls of the throat.
• The tonsils.

Figure

Anatomy of the pharynx (throat). The three parts of the pharynx are the nasopharynx, oropharynx, and hypopharynx.

Most oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers start in squamous cells (thin, flat cells) that line the oral cavity and oropharynx. Cancer that forms in squamous cells is called squamous cell carcinoma. Squamous cell carcinoma can form from lesions on the mucous membranes (the lining of the mouth and throat). These lesions include leukoplakia (an abnormal white patch of cells) and erythroplakia (an abnormal red patch of cells).

In Western countries, such as the United States, the most common areas for oral cancer are the tongue and the floor of the mouth.

Oral cancer is more common in men than in women.

Men are more than twice as likely as women to have oral cancer and die from it.

Avoiding risk factors and increasing protective factors may help prevent cancer.

Avoiding cancer risk factors may help prevent certain cancers. Risk factors include smoking, being overweight, and not getting enough exercise. Increasing protective factors such as quitting smoking, eating a healthy diet, and exercising may also help prevent some cancers. Talk to your doctor or other health care professional about how you might lower your risk of cancer.

Oral cavity cancer and oropharyngeal cancer are two different diseases, but they have some risk factors in common.

The following are risk factors for oral cavity cancer and oropharyngeal cancer:

The following is a risk factor for oropharyngeal cancer:

The following is a protective factor for oral cavity cancer and oropharyngeal cancer:

It is not clear whether avoiding certain risk factors will decrease the risk of oral cavity cancer or oropharyngeal cancer.

• Getting an HPV vaccination.
• Stopping alcohol use.
• Changing your diet.

Cancer prevention clinical trials are used to study ways to prevent cancer.

The purpose of some cancer prevention clinical trials is to find out whether actions people take can prevent cancer. These may include eating fruits and vegetables, exercising, quitting smoking, or taking certain medicines, vitamins, minerals, or food supplements.

New ways to prevent oral cancer and oropharyngeal cancer are being studied in clinical trials.

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This PDQ cancer information summary has current information about oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer prevention. It is meant to inform and help patients, families, and caregivers. It does not give formal guidelines or recommendations for making decisions about health care.

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Clinical Trial Information

A clinical trial is a study to answer a scientific question, such as whether one treatment is better than another. Trials are based on past studies and what has been learned in the laboratory. Each trial answers certain scientific questions in order to find new and better ways to help cancer patients. During treatment clinical trials, information is collected about the effects of a new treatment and how well it works. If a clinical trial shows that a new treatment is better than one currently being used, the new treatment may become "standard." Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial. Some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment.

Clinical trials are listed in PDQ and can be found online at NCI's website. Many cancer doctors who take part in clinical trials are also listed in PDQ. For more information, call the Cancer Information Service 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237).

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National Cancer Institute: PDQ® Oral Cavity and Oropharyngeal Cancer Prevention. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute. Date last modified <MM/DD/YYYY>. Available at: http://www.cancer.gov/types/head-and-neck/patient/oral-prevention-pdq. Accessed <MM/DD/YYYY>.

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