Oral Cancer Types - OmniMedicalSearch.com

Conditions & Diseases: Cancers

Oral Cancer

Types

Oral cancer is classified according to two criteria:

1. The cancer location.

According to this criterion, there are two types of oral cancer:
(1) Oral cavity cancer - the cancer that starts in the mouth, which includes the tongue, lining of the cheeks, gums and teeth, upper or lower jaw, the hard palate (the mouth’s roof), the mouth’s floor (the area beneath the tongue), and salivary glands.

(2) Oropharyngeal cancer - the cancer that starts in the oropharynx, which includes the soft palates (the back of the mouth), the base of the tongue, uvula, and tonsils (one of two small masses of lymphoid tissue located on either side of the throat). Around two-thirds of the oral cancers are found in the mouth, while one-third are found in the pharynx.

2. The cells where the cancer starts.

There are two types of oral cancer:
1. Squamous cell carcinoma: This is a type of cancer that starts in the flat cells (called squamous cells) that cover the surface of the oral cavity and orophadynx. Squamous cells carcinoma represents more then 90 percent of all oral cancers. In its early stages, this cancer is confined to the lining layer of the cells and is called carcinoma in situ, but when it extends beyond the lining, it is called invasive squamous cell carcinoma.

A variant of squamous cell carcinoma is verrucous carcinoma. This is a low-grade cancer that rarely metastasis, and has a good prognosis. This type of oral cancer is common among patients that chew tobacco or use snuff (a fine -ground tobacco which is sniffed or snorted). It represents less than 5 percent of all diagnosed oral cancers.

2. Minor salivary gland cancer: This is a type of cancer which starts within the salivary glands located in the oral cavity and orophadynx lining tissue. This is a rare type of oral cancer.

Article by Alina Morrow, MS
Medical Writer
OmniMedicalSearch.com