Oral Mucosa Cancer

Oral mucosal cancer is cancer that arises from the lining (mucosa) of the oral cavity. The oral cavity is compromised of the mucosa lining of the lips and cheeks, the teeth, gingiva (gums), anterior two-thirds of the tongue, the floor of the mouth, hard palate, and the retromolar trigone posterior to the wisdom teeth. It has a close anatomical relationship with the oropharynx, the boundary of which is the border between the hard and soft palate, the border between the anterior 2/3rds and posterior 1/3rd of the tongue, and the anterior pillars of the tonsils. The main risk factors are smoking and alcohol consumption. The mainstay of treatment is surgery, often with adjuvant radiotherapy.