Oral Cancer Awareness Month

April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month, an annual initiative to promote the prevention and early detection of these cancers. Oral cancer accounts for approximately three percent of all cancers diagnosed each year in the United States, and it is anticipated that about 58,500 Americans will be newly diagnosed with oral cancer in 2024.

For more than a decade, the rate of occurrence of oral and oropharyngeal cancers has increased annually. This trend is expected to continue, as there is currently no national screening policy or protocol, and the disease’s risk factors remain relatively unchanged. Unfortunately, the majority of cases are found as late-stage cancers, and thus oral cancer has a high death rate of about 43% at five years from the time of diagnosis. Oral Cancer Awareness Month is therefore dedicated to encouraging oral cancer screening and education on risk factors and their prevention.

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Click here to read facts from the NIDCR on oral cancer.