At Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center, our multidisciplinary team of specialists in oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers work together to provide the highest quality care. The collaboration between Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute brings a comprehensive, team-based approach to treatment. Patients receive personalized care supported by leading-edge diagnostic and treatment tools and minimally invasive surgical techniques.
Our experts, including head and neck surgeons, oral medicine specialists, pathologists, radiologists and radiation/medical oncologists, have extensive experience managing oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancerous conditions, ensuring that patients benefit from the latest medical advancements and the full resources of our renowned academic medical community.
Understanding Your Body: What Is the Oral Cavity and Oropharynx?
Oral cavity cancer, also known as oral cancer or mouth cancer, begins in the mouth. This area includes the lips, the inner lining of the lips and cheeks, teeth, gums, the front two-thirds of the tongue, the floor of the mouth, the hard palate, and the area behind the wisdom teeth. These parts of the mouth play crucial roles in everyday activities such as eating, chewing, and speaking.
Oropharyngeal cancer starts in the middle part of the throat, just behind the mouth, in an area called the oropharynx. The oropharynx includes the base of the tongue, the soft palate, the tonsils, and the sides and back of the throat. These regions are important for breathing, talking, and swallowing. Small salivary glands within the oral cavity and oropharynx produce saliva, which helps keep the mouth moist and aids in digestion.
Both oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers are types of head and neck cancers, a category that includes several different cancers treated in similar ways.
Types of Oral and Oropharyngeal Cancers
Tumors can form anywhere in the oral cavity or oropharynx, the area where the mouth meets the throat. Tumors can be:
- Benign (non-cancerous)
- Precancerous (conditions that might turn into cancer)
- Cancerous (malignant)
Precancerous Conditions
- Leukoplakia: Whitish patches inside the mouth or throat, often linked to smoking or chewing tobacco.
- Erythroplakia: Red, raised patches inside the mouth, also linked to tobacco use.
Malignant Tumors
- Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Makes up over 90% of oral and oropharyngeal cancers. It originates in the skin lining (called squamous cells) of the mouth and throat. Precancerous conditions (called carcinoma in situ) can become invasive and spread beyond the mouth/throat lining. For many of these cancers, surgical removal with a wide margin is required. The surgical margin refers to the edge or border of tissue removed during cancer surgery.
- Minor Salivary Gland Cancers: A rare type of oral cancer that can start in the many salivary glands lining the mouth and throat.
