Oral precancer and cancer: etiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management.

Oral and oropharyngeal cancers represent 3% of all cancers in the United States annually, with nearly 50% of people diagnosed with oral and oropharyngeal cancers dying as a result of the disease. Because the dental practitioner is in an ideal position for recognizing any abnormality of the oral mucosa, he or she is involved in the battle against oral cancer by helping establish the diagnosis at an early stage. This article presents the clinical appearance, explains the origins, and describes steps for the management of oral precancer and cancer.