Oral cancer

Oral cancer (cancer of the mouth) may appear as a persistent mouth sore. There is evidence that risk of lip cancer increases among HIV-infected individuals as immune deficiency progresses.1 Many different infections may cause chronic mouth problems in people with HIV. In some cases, a biopsy is the best way to determine whether or not a sore is cancerous. If it is, it may be surgically removed.

Oral cancer was very strongly associated with oral infection with human papillomavirus 16, one of the cancer-causing HPVs, even in people who did not smoke or drink heavily in a US case control study of HIV-negative people. Oral cancer was associated with a history of oral sex partners in heterosexual men and women, but not in gay men.2 Oral cancer is also associated with alcohol and tobacco use in non-HIV-infected individuals.

References

  1. Frisch M et al. Association of cancer with AIDS-related immunosuppression in adults. JAMA 285: 1736-1745, 2001
  2. D'Souza G et al. Case-control study of human papillomavirus and oropharyngeal cancer. N Engl J Med 356: 1944-1956, 2007
This content was checked for accuracy at the time it was written. It may have been superseded by more recent developments. NAM recommends checking whether this is the most current information when making decisions that may affect your health.