Ep 203 – Oral mucosal cancer

GPnotebook Podcast · Apr 23, 2026 · 20m

In this episode, Dr Roger Henderson explores an important and often overlooked area of head and neck oncology: oral mucosal cancer. As GPs, we frequently encounter oral lesions in primary care, and they are also often seen in dental practice, emergency settings and specialist clinics; however, distinguishing benign conditions from early malignancy can be challenging. Here, we break down the essential anatomy of the oral cavity, clarify how it differs from the oropharynx and examine the major risk factors driving disease development, including tobacco, alcohol, human papillomavirus (HPV) and…