The American Cancer Society's most recent estimates for oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers in the United States are for 2009:

• about 28,500 new cases (20,100 in men and 8,400 in women) of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer

• an estimated 6,100 people (4,200 men and 1,900 women) will die of these cancers

These cancers are more than twice as common in men as in women, and are as common in blacks as in whites. The rate of new cases of this disease has been dropping during the past 30 years. Along with this, the death rate for these cancers has been decreasing since the late 1970s.

Oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers occur most commonly in the following sites:

• the tongue (about 25%)
• the tonsils (about 10% to 15%)
• the lip (about 10% to 15%)
• the minor salivary glands (about 10% to 15%)

The rest are found in the gums, the floor of the mouth, and other sites.

The average age of most people diagnosed with these cancers is 62, but they can occur in young people. Although they occur rarely in children, about one-third of the cancers occur in patients younger than 55.

The rates of these cancers vary among countries. For example, they are much more common in Hungary and France than in the United States and much less common in Mexico and Japan. Scientists think these differences are probably caused by environmental risk factors. (See the section, "What are the risk factors for oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers?")

When patients newly diagnosed with oral and oropharyngeal cancers are carefully examined, about 15% will have another cancer in a nearby area such as the larynx (voice box), the esophagus (the tube that carries food from the throat to the stomach), or the lung. Of those who are cured of their oral or oropharyngeal cancer, 10% to 40% will develop another cancer later. Often, the cancer will occur in one of these organs or a new cancer will develop in the throat or mouth. For this reason, patients with oral and oropharyngeal cancer need to have follow-up exams for the rest of their lives. They also need to avoid using tobacco and alcohol, which increase the risk for these second cancers.

For statistics related to survival, see the section, "How is oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer staged?"

Last Medical Review: 09/24/2009
Last Revised: 09/24/2009