A Working Group of 25 independent international experts, convened by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) between September and December 2021, reviewed the scientific evidence on primary and secondary prevention of oral cancer. Cancer of the lip and oral cavity ranks 16th in cancer incidence and mortality worldwide and is a common cause of cancer death in men across much of South and South-East Asia and the Western Pacific. The main causes of oral cancer worldwide are tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption. Smokeless tobacco use and areca nut use are the leading causes in those countries where their use is prevalent.
