Oral and throat cancer

ARTICLE SECTIONS

Introduction Signs and symptoms Causes Risk factors When to seek medical advice

Screening and diagnosis Treatment Prevention Coping skills

Introduction

Recently, you've noticed a pale lump inside your mouth that doesn't seem to be healing. It's not like anything you've seen before. What you may have encountered is an early sign of oral or throat (oropharyngeal) cancer.

The American Cancer Society estimates more than 30,000 new cases of oral and throat cancer occur annually in the United States. Oral cancer includes cancer of your lips, mouth, tongue, gums and salivary glands. Throat cancer involves cancer of the part of your throat just behind your mouth. It's estimated that more than 7,000 Americans die of oral and throat cancers annually.

Periodic self-examination of your mouth is the best way to detect the early signs of oral and throat cancer. And, when detected early, oral cancer is almost always successfully treated. Unfortunately, many oral and throat cancers are far advanced by the time a doctor is made aware of the situation. This is because oral and throat cancers are usually painless in their early stages or have minor symptoms similar to other health problems, such as a toothache.

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Signs and symptoms