Mouth cancer

Overview

Mouth cancer (oral cancer) is a type of cancer that can occur on the:

• Lips
• Gums
• Tongue
• Salivary glands
• Inside lining of the cheeks
• Roof of the mouth
• Floor of the mouth

Your risk of mouth cancer increases if you use tobacco or drink alcohol. In people who do both, the risk of mouth cancer is even greater.

Mouth cancer treatment often involves surgery and radiation therapy. Mouth cancer treatment can affect your appearance and your ability to use your mouth to eat, speak and breathe. Minimally invasive surgery, highly focused radiation and skilled reconstructive surgery are mouth cancer treatment innovations that can improve your quality of life.

Read more about mouth cancer.

Why choose Mayo Clinic for mouth cancer

• Teamwork. At Mayo Clinic, care for people with mouth cancer is directed by ear, nose and throat experts (otolaryngologists) specializing in head and neck cancers who coordinate a multispecialty team. Team members may include experts in radiation oncology, medical oncology, plastic and reconstructive surgery, rehabilitation therapies, and other specialties as needed.
• A full range of treatment options to consider. Mayo Clinic doctors will work with you to review all of your treatment options and choose the treatment that best suits your needs and goals. The range of treatments offered to people with mouth cancer includes surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and targeted drug therapy.
• Latest treatment technology. At Mayo Clinic, doctors use the latest treatments and technology. For mouth cancer, this includes the highly focused form of radiation called intensity-modulated radiation therapy and the very precise method of doing surgery called transoral robotic surgery. Clinical trials may be available to receive new, promising therapies.
• Comprehensive cancer center. Mayo Clinic Cancer Center meets strict standards for a National Cancer Institute comprehensive cancer center, which recognizes scientific excellence and a multidisciplinary approach to cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., is ranked among the Best Hospitals for cancer by U.S. News & World Report. Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla., and Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Ariz., are ranked high performing for cancer by U.S. News & World Report.

Mayo Clinic: Answers you can trust

At Mayo Clinic, we assemble a team of specialists who take the time to listen and thoroughly understand your health issues and concerns. We tailor the care you receive to your personal health care needs. You can trust our specialists to collaborate and offer you the best possible outcomes, safety and service.

Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit medical institution that reinvests all earnings into improving medical practice, research and education. We're constantly involved in innovation and medical research, finding solutions to improve your care and quality of life. Your doctor or someone on your medical team is likely involved in research related to your condition.

Our patients tell us that the quality of their interactions, our attention to detail and the efficiency of their visits mean health care — and trusted answers — like they've never experienced.

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