Tongue Cancer

Tongue Cancer - Cancer that begins in the tongue. The primary organ related to a person's sense of taste, the tongue is a large muscular mass of tissue located in the mouth that aids in food consumption. Tongue cancer can be classified either as oral cancer (when it begins in the front two-thirds of the tongue), or throat (oropharyngeal) cancer (when it begins in the back third of the tongue). The most common type of tongue cancer is squamous cell carcinoma, which occurs in the flat, skin-like surface cells. Although the exact causes of tongue cancer are unknown, the disease is most commonly found in men over age 60 who frequently use alcohol and/or tobacco.

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