Print Overview Soft palate Enlarge image Close Soft palate Soft palate The soft palate is located in the upper portion of the back of the mouth, behind the teeth. Soft palate cancer begins in the cells of the soft palate. Your soft palate is located on the upper portion of the back of your mouth, behind your teeth. Soft palate cancer is considered a type of throat cancer. Doctors treat soft palate cancer similarly to the way they treat other types of throat cancers — often with a combination of surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.Products & ServicesBook: Mayo Clinic on Digestive Health SymptomsSome signs and symptoms of soft palate cancer can include the following: Bleeding Difficulty swallowing Difficulty speaking Bad breath Mouth pain Sores in your mouth that won't heal Loose teeth Pain when you swallow Weight loss Ear pain Swelling in your neck that may hurt White patches in your mouth that won't go away When to see a doctorTalk to your doctor or dentist about any persistent signs and symptoms that worry you. Request an appointment There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Review/update the information highlighted below and resubmit the form. Get Mayo Clinic cancer expertise delivered to your inbox. Subscribe for free and receive an in-depth guide to coping with cancer, plus helpful information on how to get a second opinion. You can unsubscribe at any time. Click here for an email preview. I would like to learn more about Up-to-date cancer news & research Mayo Clinic cancer care & management options ErrorSelect a topic Email address ErrorEmail field is required ErrorInclude a valid email address Subscribe Learn more about Mayo Clinic’s use of data. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail. Thank you for subscribing Your in-depth coping with cancer guide will be in your inbox shortly. You will also receive emails from Mayo Clinic on the latest about cancer news, research, and care. If you don’t receive our email within 5 minutes, check your SPAM folder, then contact us at newsletters@mayoclinic.com. Sorry something went wrong with your subscription Please, try again in a couple of minutes Retry CausesSoft palate cancer forms when a genetic mutation turns normal, healthy cells into abnormal cells. Healthy cells grow and multiply at a set rate, eventually dying at a set time. Abnormal cells grow and multiply out of control, and they don't die. The accumulating abnormal cells form a mass (tumor). Cancer cells invade nearby tissues and can separate from an initial tumor to spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body. Risk factorsThings that may increase the risk of soft palate cancer include: Using tobacco Drinking alcohol Being infected with human papillomavirus (HPV) Taking medications that suppress your immune system If you use tobacco and drink alcohol, your risk is even higher. PreventionWays to reduce your risk of soft palate cancer include: Don't use tobacco. If you don't use tobacco, don't start. If you currently use tobacco of any kind, talk with your doctor about strategies to help you quit. Limit alcohol if you choose to drink. If you choose to drink alcohol, do so in moderation. For healthy adults, that means up to one drink a day for women and up to two drinks a day for men. Get regular dental care. During your appointment, your dentist will check your mouth for signs of cancer and precancerous changes. Consider the HPV vaccine. Receiving a vaccination to prevent HPV infection may reduce your risk of HPV-related cancers, such as soft palate cancer. Ask your doctor whether an HPV vaccine is appropriate for you. By Mayo Clinic Staff Soft palate cancer care at Mayo Clinic Request an appointment Diagnosis & treatment Aug. 31, 2021 Print Share on: FacebookTwitter Living with soft palate cancer? Connect with others like you for support and answers to your questions in the Head & Neck Cancer support group on Mayo Clinic Connect, a patient community. Head & Neck Cancer Discussions Radiation side effects with H&N cancer. When will they ever end? 45 Replies Thu, May 25, 2023 chevron-right Saliva and dry mouth: Head and neck cancer and treatments 40 Replies Fri, May 19, 2023 chevron-right Test for HPV and cryoablation for tonsils 11 Replies Fri, May 19, 2023 chevron-right See more discussions Show references AskMayoExpert. Oral cavity carcinoma, stages I to IV: Diagnosis to first treatment (adult). Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2017. Flint PW, et al. Malignant neoplasms of the oropharynx. In: Cummings Otolaryngology: Head & Neck Surgery. 6th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2015. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed July 15, 2019. Head and neck cancers. Plymouth Meeting, Pa.: National Comprehensive Cancer Network. https://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/default.aspx. Accessed April 1, 2019. Warner KJ. Allscripts EPSi. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. May 3, 2019. Niederhuber JE, et al., eds. Cancer of the head and neck. In: Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 6th ed. Elsevier; 2020. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed April 1, 2019. Fonseca RJ. Squamous cell carcinoma of the oral and maxillofacial region. In: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. 3rd ed. Elsevier; 2018. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed July 14, 2019. National Cancer Institute. Oral cavity, pharyngeal, and laryngeal cancer prevention (PDQ) – Health professional version. https://www.cancer.gov/types/head-and-neck/hp/oral-prevention-pdq. Accessed July 14, 2019. 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines. Accessed Aug. 19, 2019. Related Soft palate Associated Procedures Home enteral nutrition Products & Services Book: Mayo Clinic on Digestive Health Soft palate cancerSymptoms & causesDiagnosis & treatmentDoctors & departmentsCare at Mayo Clinic Advertisement Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. Advertising & Sponsorship Policy Opportunities Ad Choices Mayo Clinic Press Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press. 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There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Review/update the information highlighted below and resubmit the form. Get Mayo Clinic cancer expertise delivered to your inbox. Subscribe for free and receive an in-depth guide to coping with cancer, plus helpful information on how to get a second opinion. You can unsubscribe at any time. Click here for an email preview. I would like to learn more about Up-to-date cancer news & research Mayo Clinic cancer care & management options ErrorSelect a topic Email address ErrorEmail field is required ErrorInclude a valid email address Subscribe Learn more about Mayo Clinic’s use of data. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail. Thank you for subscribing Your in-depth coping with cancer guide will be in your inbox shortly. You will also receive emails from Mayo Clinic on the latest about cancer news, research, and care. If you don’t receive our email within 5 minutes, check your SPAM folder, then contact us at newsletters@mayoclinic.com. Sorry something went wrong with your subscription Please, try again in a couple of minutes Retry