Oral cavity cancer: Risk factors, pathology, and management

Oral cavity cancers are predominantly squamous cell carcinomas, which arise from premalignant lesions through a multistep carcinogenesis process. Tobacco and alcohol are the major etiologic factors, although human papillomavirus has also recently been implicated as a causative agent. The possibility of a second primary malignancy should be considered during the diagnostic evaluation of head and neck cancers, as well as during the posttreatment surveillance phase. The goals of treatment are not only to improve survival outcomes but also to preserve organ function. These cancers are generally treated with a combination of surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. A multidisciplinary approach, involving surgeons, medical oncologists, and radiation oncologists, as well as dentists, dietitians, and rehabilitation therapists, is generally required for optimal treatment planning and management of patients with head and neck cancer.