What is oral cancer? Cancer can be defined as “an uncontrollable growth of cells that invade and cause damage to surrounding tissue.” Oral cancer can appear as a growth or an ulcer in mouth that does not heal or resolve on its own. Incidence of oral cancer Oral cancer is the sixth most common cancer worldwide, affecting large number of people in India too. The WHO data shows, incidence of oral cancer 1-10 cases per 100 000 population globally. Despite advances in medical world, majority of people succumb to it owing to late diagnosis & treatment. Causes: Cancer occur due to mutations (alteration) in DNA. There are several reasons causing genetic alterations. The commonly associated risk factors being: · Tobacco : It is the leading cause of oral cancer. Tobacco in any form like chewing, pipes, cigars, snuff releases nicotine & other carcinogens with potential cellular damage · Areca nut : Popularly known as supari frequently