What is (are) Oral Cavity and Oropharyngeal Cancer ?
Key Points
                    - Oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer are diseases in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the mouth and throat.    - The number of new cases of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer and the number of deaths from oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer varies by race and gender.    - Different factors increase or decrease the risk of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer.
                
                
                    Oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer are diseases in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the mouth and throat.
                    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 of the roof of the mouth).    - The retromolar trigone (the small area behind the wisdom teeth).          Oropharyngeal cancer forms in any of these tissues of the oropharynx:         - The middle part of the pharynx (throat) behind the mouth.    - The back one third of the tongue.    - The soft palate (the back of the roof of the mouth).    - The side and back walls of the throat.    - The tonsils.          Most oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers start in squamous cells, the thin, flat cells that line the lips, oral cavity, and oropharynx. Cancer that forms in squamous cells is called squamous cell carcinoma.   See the following PDQ summaries for more information about the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer:         -  Oral Cavity and Oropharyngeal Cancer Prevention     -  Lip and Oral Cavity Cancer Treatment     -  Oropharyngeal Cancer Treatment
                
                
                    The number of new cases of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer and the number of deaths from oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer varies by race and gender.
                    Over the past ten years, the number of new cases and deaths from oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer slightly increased in white men and women. The number slightly decreased among black men and women.   Oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer is more common in men than in women. Although oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer may occur in adults of any age, it occurs most often in those aged 55 to 64 years.   France, Brazil, and parts of Asia have much higher rates of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer than most other countries.    The number of new cases of oropharyngeal cancer caused by certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection has increased. One kind of HPV, called HPV 16, is often passed from one person to another during sexual activity.