Cancer can occur in many areas of the head and neck, including the lips and mouth. Tobacco use accounts for nearly 80 percent of all mouth and throat cancers.
Overview
Oral cancer can be found on:
- Lips
- Tongue
- Cheeks
- Roof and floor of the mouth
- Gums
More than 90 percent of oral cancers form in the flat cells known as squamous cells that line the mouth and lips. Cancer that begins in this layer of cells is known as squamous cell carcinoma.
Our approach
M Health Fairview Cancer Care provides you with multidisciplinary, comprehensive, and compassionate care for those suffering from oral cancer. Many of our physicians have been national leaders in research, including clinical trials, giving you access to the most current medical therapies.
When surgery is recommended for the treatment of cancer of the mouth, our team continues to pioneer minimally invasive surgical techniques. With transoral robotic surgery (TORS) for cancers of the mouth and neck, for example, physicians can resect tumors that otherwise would require a lip-split incision or mandibulotomy. Our surgeons also use TORS for reconstructive resulting in less blood loss, less pain and scarring, shorter hospital stays, and a faster return to normal life compared to traditional open surgery.