Significant Risk Factors
Although it is not known what causes all oral cancers there are some significant risk factors that increase the chances of developing them.
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SMOKING
More than 60% of mouth & oropharyngeal cancers are caused by smoking.
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DRINKING
Around 30% of mouth & oropharyngeal cancers are caused by drinking alcohol.
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HPV
Around 70% of oropharyngeal cancers are linked to human papillomavirus (HPV).
Oral Cavity Cancer
Cost of Care
USA 2018
4,493 dead
24,229 diagnosed
Cost of care 2009 USD per head
$50K-$80K
INDIA 2018
72,616 dead
119,992 diagnosed
Cost of care 2015 USD per head
$3K-$15K
CHINA 2018
14,000 dead
27,700 diagnosed
Cost of care 2009 USD per head
$71 MILLION
CURRENT TREATMENT
Standard first-line treatment in 95% of cases of oral cancer is surgery with a 1 cm of healthy tissue removed along with the cancerous tissue.
Surgery will leave the patient with significantly altered appearance and lifelong functional defects in most cases, including speech impediments, and difficulty in chewing, swallowing and eating. 2 in 5 will die within 5 years which is a higher mortality rate than prostate or cervical cancers.
Patients report severely compromised quality of life more than 12 months after treatment and therefore, follow-on treatment is necessary such as chemotherapy and radiation that can damage healthy cells. These treatments can also cause side-effects such as hair loss, mouth sore, and vomiting.
Oral Cancer Treatment Options
Stage 1, UK 2012-15
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Surgery
1cm of healthy tissue removed
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Radiotherapy
Jaw damage, dry mouth
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Chemotherapy
Immune system compromised
Information provided by the World Health Organisation
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