Carcinoma of the oral tongue.

Carcinoma of the oral tongue is the second most common malignancy of the oral cavity. Major risk factors include tobacco and alcohol usage. Early diagnosis is the cornerstone of successful management. Comprehensive evaluation and treatment modalities are reviewed. For early lesions, surgery or radiation therapy may be employed with equal efficacy. For advanced lesions, combination radiotherapy and surgery are advocated. Chemotherapy is still experimental, but continues to undergo multicenter investigations for treatment of oral tongue carcinoma.