Mouth cancer is a form of head and neck cancer that begins on the lips or in the mouth. Another name for mouth cancer is oral cavity cancer. The oral cavity comprises the lips, the inner lining of the lips, cheeks (buccal mucosa), teeth, gums, the front two-thirds of the tongue, the floor of the mouth below the tongue, and the bony roof of the mouth (hard palate). 

Mouth cancer can be oral verrucous carcinoma or oral melanoma. Based on the origin of the cancer, oral cavity cancer may be either floor of mouth cancer, gum cancer, hard palate cancer, inner cheek cancer, lip cancer, or tongue cancer.

Statistics
Oral cavity cancer cases form 2.9% of all new cancer cases. This is more prevalent in white people than black people. According to the World Cancer Research Fund International, mouth cancer is the 12th most common cancer in men and the 18th most common cancer in women.

According to the American Cancer Society, the lifetime risk of developing mouth cancer is almost 1 in 59 for men and 1 in 139 for women.
 
Risk factors and symptoms

• Gender (men)
• Age (over 45)
• Prolonged sun exposure
• Long-term irritation caused by ill-fitting dentures
• A diet low in fruits and vegetables
• Immunosuppressive drugs
• History of head and neck cancer
• Radiation exposure
• Lichen planus
• Drinking mate
• Betel quid
• Fanconi’s anemia
• Dyskeratosis congenita

Symptoms include persistent sore or lump on the lip or in the mouth, a white or red patch on the gums, tongue, or cheeks, unusual bleeding, pain, or numbness in the mouth, swelling leading to poor-fitting dentures, a lump or thickening in your lip, mouth, or throat, difficulty moving your jaw, and weight loss.

Prevention

• Avoiding tobacco in all forms
• Regular oral examination
• Moderate consumption of alcohol
• Cleaning dentures regularly
• Limiting sun exposure, wearing a lip balm with sunscreen and a hat with a brim, and well-rounded
• A healthy diet with a variety of fruits and vegetables

Treatment
Treatment options include radiation therapy, surgery, palliative, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, and chemotherapy or combination therapy. Surgery may be tumor resection, Mohs micrographic surgery, glossectomy, mandibulectomy, maxillectomy, trans-oral robotic surgery (TORS), laryngectomy, or neck dissection, depending on the condition of the patient. Radiation treatment options available are external beam radiation therapy, brachytherapy, and adaptive radiotherapy.