Oral Cancer

Oral Cancer - Cancer that begins in the oral cavity (or mouth), including the palate, floor of the mouth, gums, tongue, and lining of the cheeks and lips. Common risk factors for oral cancer include regular tobacco and alcohol use, as well as exposure to the human papilloma virus (HPV). Most oral cancers are squamous cell carcinomas (which begin in the cells that make up the mucous membrane lining the mouth). Oral cancer accounts for about 30 percent of all cancers in the head and neck, and is more common in males than females.

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