Oral cancer includes cancer of the cheek, lip, mouth, sinus, mouth, throat and tongue. The Cleveland Clinic indicates that oral cancer appears as a growth or sore that does not go away and can be life-threatening if a person does not seek early treatment. The exact cause of oral cancer may be unknown, but several risk factors contribute to its occurrence. Knowing some of these risk factors may help reduce a person's chances of developing this disease.
Tobacco
Statistics from the American Cancer Society state that 8 out of 10 people with oral cancer use tobacco. The Cleveland Clinic states that smokers are six times more likely than nonsmokers to develop oral cancer, and the tobacco use can be in the form of cigars, cigarettes, pipes snuff and chew. The American Cancer Society further explains that those who smoke pipes face a greater risk of developing cancer of the lips in the areas where the pipe stem touches them. The society adds that smokeless tobacco products, such as snuff and chewing tobacco, pose an even greater risk for cancer of the cheeks, inner surface of the lips and gums.
Alcohol Use
Similar to smokers with increased risk, those who drink alcohol are six times more likely than those who do not drink to develop oral cancer. Approximately 7 out of 10 people with oral cancer drink heavily, and the risk of this disease is even greater for those who drink and smoke. The American Cancer Society estimates that 8 out of 10 oral cancers could be prevented if people did not smoke or drink.
Being Male
Men are approximately twice as likely as women to develop oral cancer. This difference may be due to the fact that men are more likely than women to drink and smoke.
Human Papilloma Virus
Also known as HPV, the human papilloma virus is a group of more than 100 viruses that cause warts in various areas of the body. While few types of this infection cause cancer, one strain in particular---HPV16---is responsible for cervical cancer as well as some oral cancers. The American Cancer Society estimates that HPV is a factor in approximately one-fourth of oral cancers and that people with oral cancer caused by HPV are less likely to drink and smoke.
