Attention, chocolate lovers: You may not be able to help yourselves. Swiss and British scientists have linked the widespread love of chocolate to a chemical "signature" that may be programmed into our metabolic systems.
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Oral Cancer
- Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
- Symptoms & Signs
- Diagnosis & Tests
- Prevention & Expectations
- Treatment & Monitoring
- Attribution
- View All
Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
Oral cancer is a group of abnormal cells that involves the mouth or the oropharynx. The oropharynx is the part of the throat at the back of the mouth.
What is going on in the body?
Oral cancer occurs in the top layer of cells lining the mouth and oropharynx. The abnormal cells may be found in the lips, tongue, or inside of the cheeks. The tumor may also involve the floor or roof of the mouth, the tonsils, or the oropharynx. Oral cancer may start as a sore that is not yet cancerous. Over time, probably years, it can develop into oral cancer.
Oral cancers can grow outward as a wart-like mass. Or they can be ulcers that invade inwardly. The longer that oral cancers grow untreated, the more likely they are to metastasize, or spread throughout the body.
What are the causes and risks of the disease?
Oral cancer can occur at any age, but is most common in people older than the age of 45. Some of the factors that increase a person's risk for oral cancer are as follows:
The herpes simplex and the human papillomavirus are being investigated as possible causes of oral cancer.