Oral and Oropharyngeal Cancer: Medical Illustrations

Approved by the Cancer.Net Editorial Board, 10/2022

ON THIS PAGE: You will find a drawing of the main body parts affected by oral and oropharyngeal cancers. Use the menu to see other pages.

This illustration shows the oral cavity and oropharynx within the head and neck region. The oral cavity includes the lips, the front two-thirds of the tongue, and the hard palate, or roof of the mouth. The oropharynx begins where the oral cavity stops. It includes the soft palate at the back of the mouth, the tonsils, the base of the tongue, and the part of the throat behind the mouth. The illustration also shows the throat, including the esophagus and the windpipe, or trachea, and nasal cavity, the air-filled cavity behind the nose. Copyright 2005-2011 American Society of Clinical Oncology. Robert Morreale/Visual Explanations, LLC.

The next section in this guide is Risk Factors and PreventionIt describes the factors that may increase the chance of developing oral or oropharyngeal cancer. Use the menu to choose a different section to read in this guide.