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Background: The aims of this study were to identify differences in oral cancer incidence and mortality between sexes, age groups, oral sites and Australian States and Territories and recent trends in oral cancer incidence, mortality and age-profile over time., Methods: Data were obtained from the Australian Institute for Health and Welfare and were age-standardized to the Australian 1991 Population Standard. Differences and trends were assessed with the Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-ranks test and the Spearman correlation test, respectively., Results: In Australia in 1996, there were 2173 new oral cancers and 400 deaths due to oral cancer, the majority of oral cancers were in the 60+ age group, oral cancer affected men more than women (>2:1), lip cancer accounted for more than 50 per cent of oral cancers and the oral cancer mortality-to-incidence (M:I) ratio was greatest in ACT and NSW and least in QLD and SA. From 1983 to 1996, the annual incidence of lip cancer increased while the M:I ratio of lip cancer decreased. The annual incidence of cervical cancer decreased whereas the annual incidence of intra-oral cancer remained constant. The M:I ratio of cervical cancer was consistently lower than the M:I ratio of intra-oral cancer., Conclusions: Reducing exposure to environmental carcinogens, increasing public awareness and population screening may reduce the incidence and mortality of oral cancer in Australia.

Over 750 new intra-oral squamous cell carcinomas are registered in Australia each year. In this article, the authors review the epidemiology, aetiology, genetics and spread of intra-oral squamous cell carcinoma. The mechanisms of field cancerization are discussed. The prevention of intra-oral squamous cell carcinoma is highlighted and future treatments are presented.