World Dentistry 2020

Oral Cancer

Squamous cell carcinomas amount to more than 90% of malignant tumours of the oral cavity and oropharynx. As in other parts of the upper aero digestive tract, there is a strong and synergistic association with tobacco smoking and alcohol abuse. In some regions, particularly the Indian subcontinent, oral cancer is among the most frequent malignancies, largely due to tobacco chewing. The WHO Working Group has made an attempt to unify the terminology used to define the histological features of precursor lesions throughout the head and neck region. Although there has been considerable progress in the understanding of the genetic and molecular events underlying the progression of precancerous lesions to invasive carcinomas, this has yet to be translated into novel therapeutic strategies.