Signs and Symptoms of Oral Cavity and Oropharyngeal Cancer

Oral cavity (mouth) and oropharyngeal (throat) cancers might cause one or more of these signs or symptoms:

• A sore on the lip or in the mouth that doesn't heal
• Pain in the mouth that doesn’t go away
• A lump or thickening in the lips, mouth, or cheek
• A white or red patch on the gums, tongue, tonsil, or lining of the mouth
• A sore throat or a feeling that something is caught in your throat that doesn’t go away
• Trouble chewing or swallowing
• Trouble moving the jaw or tongue
• Numbness of the tongue, lip, or other area of the mouth
• Swelling or pain in the jaw
• Dentures that start to fit poorly or become uncomfortable
• Loosening of the teeth or pain around the teeth
• Voice changes
• A lump or mass in the neck or back of the throat
• Weight loss
• Pain in the ear

Many of these signs and symptoms can also be caused by diseases other than cancer, or even by other cancers. Still, it's very important to see a doctor or dentist if any of these conditions last more than 2 weeks so that the cause can be found and treated, if needed.