Oral cancer affects areas of the mouth and throat, such as the lining of the mouth, the soft palate, the pharynx, tongue, and tonsils.

Risk factors for oral cancer include alcohol and tobacco use, along with older age, and sun exposure.

However, some cases of oral cancer are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), the most common sexually transmitted infection.

Indeed, HPV is the leading cause of oropharyngeal cancers, which occur primarily in the tonsils, tonsillar crypts (small holes in the tonsils that are part of their typical anatomy), and the base of the tongue. It is also responsible for a small number of oral cavity cancers (in the front of the mouth).