Lip and Oral Cavity Cancer

Lip and oral cavity cancer is a disease in which cancer cells form in the lips or mouth.

Most lip and oral cavity cancers start in the thin, flat cells, known as squamous cells, that line the lips and oral cavity. These cancers are called squamous cell carcinomas, and usually develop in areas of leukoplakia, which are white patches of cells that do not rub off.

The oral cavity includes the front two thirds of the tongue; the gums or gingiva; the lining of the inside of the cheeks called the buccal mucosa; the bottom of the mouth under the tongue; the hard palate, or roof of the mouth; and the retromolar trigone, which is the small area behind the wisdom teeth.

The National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program estimated that 59,660 people in the United States would be diagnosed with cancer of the oral cavity and pharynx (the throat) in 2025. Furthermore, 12,770 people were estimated to die of these cancers.

Lip and oral cavity cancers are forms of head and neck cancer. This type of cancer accounts for approximately 3.5% of all cancers in the United States. That’s about 72,680 of the estimated 2 million new cancer cases in 2025.

Risk factors for lip and oral cavity cancer include tobacco and heavy alcohol use, exposure to natural sunlight or artificial sunlight (such as from tanning beds) over long periods of time, and being male.

Oral Cavity, Pharyngeal, and Laryngeal Cancer Prevention (PDQ®) Oral Cavity, Pharyngeal, and Laryngeal Cancer Screening (PDQ®) Lip and Oral Cavity Cancer Treatment (Adult) (PDQ®)

Source: National Cancer Institute