A physician's guide to early detection of oral cancer.

Oral cancer is a disease of the elderly that is more prevalent in patients who drink alcohol, smoke, or are chronically exposed to the sun. An oral examination is recommended annually for all elderly patients and more often for patients with these risk factors. The key to diagnosis and long-term patient survival is recognition of early lesions, which are often asymptomatic. Cancerous lesions occur more frequently at specific oral sites and may be difficult to differentiate from lesions caused by such benign conditions as denture irritation and herpetic ulcers.