ABSTRACT This randomized clinical trial assessed the performance of organized, risk‐based oral cancer (OC) screening strategies compared with the conventional opportunistic approach. Conducted from December 2023 to December 2024 across 35 primary health care (PHC) units in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the study included adults aged ≥ 35 years identified as tobacco users in the public electronic medical record system and considered high‐risk for preventive oral examination (POE). PHC units were allocated to three groups: control (opportunistic screening without active invitation; 12 units), experimental I (organized invitation for POE plus home‐visit support; 11 units), and experimental II (organized invitation for POE plus an awareness campaign; 12 units). The 23 PHC units implementing organized screening included 2735 registered tobacco users, whereas the 12 units maintaining opportunistic screening included 1048. Consequently, POE coverage reached 77.2% in the organized screening arms versus 3.6% under opportunistic screening ( p < 0.05). POE adherence was higher with organized invitation plus community awareness (77.2%) than with home‐visit support (58.1%). A total of 15 biopsies were performed within the organized screening groups, identifying 6 cases of oral potentially malignant disorders and 5 cases of OC. In contrast, biopsies conducted outside the screening program demonstrated significantly lower detection rates ( p < 0.0001). These findings demonstrate that organized, invitation‐based screening integrated into PHC can substantially expand access to early diagnosis among high‐risk and socially vulnerable individuals who would otherwise remain unscreened, reinforcing PHC as a strategic and equitable setting for sustainable early OC detection.

Introduction: Globally, 600 million people chew areca nut, also known as betel nut, with habitual use being a major risk factor for oral cancer. Taiwan and India have some of the highest age-standardized incidence and mortality rates of oral cancer, underscoring the significant health burden in these countries. Aims: This observational cross-sectional study aims to investigate the betel nut consumption habits in the Taiwanese and Indian populations and assess their awareness of its association with oral cancer. Methodology: An interview was conducted and completed by 516 adults across Taiwan and 989 in India to assess betel nut habits and awareness of oral cancer risks. Results: In Taiwan, 95.2% (n = 491) were aware that betel nut can cause oral cancer versus 51.3% (n = 507) in India. Lifetime prevalence of betel nut use in Taiwan was 19.2% (n = 99) versus 42.6% (n = 421) in India. Only in India was betel nut chewing (OR: 0.6, 95% CI: 0.4-0.8, p < 0.001) associated with decreased awareness of the oral cancer risk linked to betel nut use. Using the population attributable fraction (PAF), an estimated 70.5% (95% CI: 46.0-85.5%) of oral cancer cases in India and 53.7% (95% CI: 42.2-64.1%) in Taiwan are potentially attributable to betel nut use. Conclusions: Betel nut use remains prevalent in India and Taiwan, with lack of awareness posing a greater challenge in India and betel nut use being associated with higher risks of self-reported oral cancer symptoms. Effective intervention requires country-specific strategies to curb usage, improve awareness of associated risks and government strategies to reduce betel nut cultivation and availability.

Salivary glutathione versus selenium as an oral cancer risk biomarker: A case-control study.

Long-term trends of oral cancer incidence and mortality in China from 2004 to 2018 and 15-year projections.

Tongue cancer represents nearly half of all oral cancer cases globally, necessitating the exploration of novel therapeutic agents. Catharanthus roseus, known for its well-established anticancer properties, offers a promising alternative. Although C. roseus has been studied in several cancer models, its effects in tongue cancer cells, particularly in relation to phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) and poly(adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase (PARP) pathways, have not been evaluated. This study examined the effect of the ethanol extract of C. roseus leaf (EECRL) on HSC-3 cells.Cells were treated with various concentrations of EECRL. Cell viability was assessed using the MTT assay, apoptosis was evaluated by sub-G1 analysis, and levels of cleaved-PARP and phosphorylated PI3K were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Data normality was assessed using the Shapiro-Wilk test. Depending on data distribution, comparisons were performed using one-way analysis of variance followed by Tukey's post hoc test or the Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Dunn's post hoc test. Correction for multiple comparisons was applied using the Holm-Bonferroni method, and adjusted p-values were used to determine statistical significance.EECRL reduced number of viable cells and induced apoptosis in HSC-3 cells in a significant, concentration-dependent manner (adjusted p-value < 0.05). Additionally, EECRL significantly decreased the activity of PI3K in a concentration-dependent manner (adjusted p-value < 0.05) and significantly increased cleaved-PARP compared with the untreated group (adjusted p-value < 0.05).EECRL reduced viable cell numbers and induced apoptotic features in HSC-3 tongue cancer cells, with effects associated with suppression of PI3K signaling and increased PARP cleavage. These findings suggest that EECRL may have potential as an alternative therapeutic candidate for tongue cancer. However, further mechanistic studies are required to confirm causal pathway involvement.

As demographics continue to shift in the United States, the access gap to physicians in specialized fields remains of utmost importance. This study examined the prevalence of otolaryngologists and otolaryngology subspecialists in Ohio, emphasizing related head and neck conditions and associations with social determinants of health. This cross-sectional study utilized data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the CDC’s Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC WONDER) mortality file. Health outcomes for all 88 counties in Ohio, Appalachian versus non-Appalachian county status, and otolaryngologist distribution were examined using t-tests and proportion tests. T-tests also assessed disparities in the prevalence of hearing impairment and oral malignancies, Pearson correlation tests evaluated associations between otolaryngologists and various social determinants of health. A total of 361 otolaryngologists practiced in Ohio. The mean number of otolaryngologists per county differed across Appalachian and non-Appalachian regions (1.3 ± 1.7 vs. 5.7 ± 14.0; P = 0.02) and southeastern regions (1.2 ± 1.4 vs. 4.6 ± 12.3; P = 0.03). However, the population-adjusted mean did not differ between Appalachian and non-Appalachian counties (P = 0.4) or southeastern and non-southeastern counties (P = 0.8). The prevalence of hearing impairment was higher in non-Appalachian counties (6.1 ± 1.2% vs. 5.6 ± 1.1%; P = 0.03); no difference was observed in southeastern and non-southeastern counties. In counties reporting at least one case of oral cancer, Appalachian counties had a higher prevalence of oral cancers compared to non-Appalachian counties (5.6 ± 2.3 vs. 4.4 ± 1.3, P = 0.04). In relation to social determinants of health, a significant negative relationship was observed between otolaryngologists and rurality (R=-0.2, P = 0.02) and long commutes (R=-0.2, P = 0.01). We observed lower otolaryngologist density and greater access challenges in Appalachian and southeastern counties, which may require patients to travel longer distances to receive specialty care or rely on less specialized providers. Targeted outreach initiatives and regional clinics are needed to address these disparities.

Oral cancer (C03-C06) is a major public health challenge in India, particularly in rural regions where tobacco consumption is widespread. Despite the high burden, literature on survival data from rural populations is scarce. This study aims to assess overall survival and to identify prognostic factors associated with survival of oral cancer (OC) patients, using data from rural Population-Based Cancer Registries (PBCRs) in the Konkan area of Maharashtra, India. This study was conducted on OC cases registered in the Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg PBCRs from 2017 to 2019. Survival was calculated from the date of diagnosis, with follow-up until December 31, 2023, or the date of death. Observed survival (OS) was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and relative survival (RS) was calculated using the Pohar Perme method. Sociodemographic and treatment-related prognostic factors were assessed using the Cox proportional hazards model. Of the 656 OC patients, 245 patients (37.3%) were alive, while 411 (62.7%) had died by the end of follow-up period. The 5-year age-standardized relative survival (ASRS) for all ages was 38.01%. In multivariate analysis, no statistically significant differences in survival were observed across socio-demographic variables except income. Patients in the high-income group had better survival compared with those in the lower-income groups (HR: 0.56; 95% CI: 0.35–0.88). The highest 5-year survival was observed among patients treated with surgery combined with radiotherapy (57.75%), followed by surgery alone (55.57%). In contrast, patients treated with chemotherapy alone had poor survival (10.37%), reflecting presentation at advanced stages or management with palliative intent. Patients who completed the prescribed treatment protocol had significantly better survival compared with those who received no treatment after diagnosis (HR: 5.74; 95% CI: 4.09–8.07) and those who did not complete the prescribed treatment protocol (HR: 2.54; 95% CI: 1.83–3.51). Oral cancer survival in Konkan area is lower than that reported in urban regions, owing to socioeconomic disadvantage, late diagnosis, and low treatment uptake. Strengthening early detection, ensuring timely access to care, and raising awareness about tobacco cessation services and government health schemes can improve survival.

Advancing oral leukoplakia progression recognition: A benchmark with dataset, method, and application.

India’s National Oral Health Programme (NOHP) was launched in 2014 to strengthen oral health services, however, a consolidated evaluation of its implementation and progress remains limited. Therefore, we aimed to synthesize evidence on India’s oral disease burden and oral health system progress (NOHP) from 2014 to 2025. A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, and government websites (August-October 2025). We included all study designs, reports and programme documents (2014-25), excluding non-oral health and non-English/non-full text articles. Data extraction covered major dental conditions, and programme domains were mapped using WHO health-system building blocks. Findings were narratively summarised, NOHP’S funding mapped using QGIS 3.28, and study quality appraised using SANRA checklist. Dental caries prevalence ranged from 19.6% to 94% (mean DMFT/DMFT: 0.4-2.8). Gingivitis affected 46.6% of the population and periodontitis was 51% (≥15 years). Partial edentulism ranged 13.4-100% and the complete edentulism was 5.3-90.5%, with national estimates of 61.9% and 7.2% (≥45 years), respectively. Orofacial clefts occurred at a rate of 0.9 per 1,000 births, with 50-60% of cases being cleft lip and palate. India reported 143,759 new oral cancer cases in 2022 (ASR: 9.9/100,000). Programme improvements included PHC-level dental units, tobacco cessation centres, mobile-dental vans, screening collaborations (NTCP, NP-NCD, RBSK), school dental programmes and dental amalgam phase-down. Despite 3.7 lakh dentists, rural availability remains low (1:25000). Two Centres of Excellence and three National Resource Centres were established, alongside the national oral health policy draft. India has strengthened oral health services (OHS) under NOHP, yet gaps persist in coverage, funding, oral health information management system (OHIMS) and workforce distribution. Stronger primary-care integration, expanding preventive services and unified OHIMS are essential for equitable OHS.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), accounts for approximately 90% of oral cancer cases, and due to its aggressive nature and limited treatment options remains a significant clinical challenge. In the pursuit of novel therapeutic agents, bis-chalcones (a subclass of chalcones) have emerged as promising candidates with multipronged anticancer potential. In this study, we synthesized and evaluated a novel bis-chalcone (B2OCH3), for its cytotoxic, anti-migratory, anti-invasive, and anti-adhesive activities, as well as potential mechanisms of action. The compound was obtained via Claisen-Schmidt condensation and spectroscopically characterized. Cytotoxicity was assessed using MTT, pulse treatment, and trypan blue exclusion assays. Morphological changes were examined with panoptic staining and immunofluorescence. Clonogenic, migration, adhesion, and invasion assays were performed to assess anti-metastatic potential. Molecular docking and gene/protein expression analyses were conducted by quantitative PCR and Western blot. B2OCH3 exhibited potent cytotoxicity against HSC-3, SCC-4, and CAL-27 OSCC cell lines, with HSC-3 being the most sensitive. The compound demonstrated selectivity for cancer cells as compared with non-tumor HS5 and HaCaT cells. Reduced viability was accompanied by mitotic figures and apoptotic bodies. B2OCH3 significantly inhibited colony formation, migration, invasion, and adhesion in HSC-3 cells. Morphological analysis revealed modulation of actin filament organization and reduced filopodia formation. Molecular docking indicated MMP-2 and F-actin affinity, and was corroborated by molecular assays confirming protein modulation for both. Our findings identify B2OCH3 as a promising therapeutic candidate for OSCC, highlighting its potential to simultaneously target both MMP-2 activity and actin cytoskeleton regulation.

YOLOv8 powered deep learning framework for detection and classification of oral potentially malignant disorders and oral cancer using intraoral images.

Background: Oral cancer is a significant public health burden in Bangladesh, with limited local evidence on patient profiles, risk factors, and clinical presentation.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2024 to February 2025 at a Dhaka hospital, including 148 clinically diagnosed oral cancer patients via purposive sampling. Data were collected through structured interviews and standardized oral examinations. Analysis employed descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests in SPSS.Results: The mean age was 58.26 years with male predominance [62%]. High-risk behaviors were prevalent: 84.5% used tobacco/betel quid, 77.7% had low fruit/vegetable intake, and 8.1% consumed alcohol. Advanced clinical features included rapid lesion growth [69.6%], fixation [87.8%], palpable lymph nodes [64.9%], everted edges [56.8%], and whitish mucosa [54.1%]. Age was significantly associated with lesion growth speed [p&lt;0.001], but no significant links were found for tobacco use and lesion edge, gender and lesion edge, or occupation and symptom duration.Conclusion: Findings highlight a high burden of modifiable risk factors and late-stage diagnosis, emphasizing the need for targeted prevention, cessation programs, and opportunistic screening for earlier detection.J. Contemp. Dent. Sci. 2026;14(1): 3-8

Globally, Oral Cancer alone is responsible for more than 6 million deaths each year, with nearly 10 million new cases diagnosed annually. India alone accounts for one-third of the world's oral cancer cases. India is considered as the oral cancer capital of the world, with an estimated 1% of the population having oral premalignant lesions. Early detection of oral precancerous lesions is practically possible and associated with a high expectation of the prevention of deformity, relapse, and mortality. The present study aims to estimate the magnitude of oral precancerous lesions and conditions among the rural population of Karnataka, India. A community-based analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among the 6010 rural population of Belgaum. Participants were recruited through stratified cluster random sampling and were screened for oral precancerous lesions and conditions through visual examination and toluidine blue application. The data on socio-demographic variables, tobacco consumption, medical & dental history was collected and analyzed using IBM SPSS version 22. Logistic regression and Chi-square test were used to analyze inferential data at 95% confidence interval. Descriptive data were analyzed using percentage and proportion. The majority of participants were females (53.9%), and the mean age was 40 years. The prevalence of precancerous lesions and conditions was 16.38%. Among them, 4.5% had tobacco pouch keratosis, and 4.4% Oral Sub Mucous Fibrosis (OSMF). Age was associated with all types of lesions and conditions and similarly, cigarette and bidi smoking are associated with smoker's palate. 4.2% leukoplakia and smoker's palate were found in 1.6%. A high prevalence of Smokeless tobacco consumption was found, and among them, gutkha was most commonly used. These lesions were associated with age, education, tobacco, type of diet and sharp cusps. The overall prevalence of precancerous lesions and conditions was high. It was high among the elderly, except for OSMF which was more prevalent among the younger age group.

Oral cavity cancer is marked by racial and ethnic disparities. We examined these differences in oral cavity cancer stage at diagnosis and whether neighborhood-level social vulnerability, a measure of susceptibility to hardship at the census tract level, modifies disparities. We identified adults newly diagnosed with oral cavity cancer (1995-2020) from the Texas Cancer Registry. We estimated the association between stage at diagnosis and race and ethnicity using logistic regression and assessed effect modification by neighborhood-level social vulnerability. The sample included 12,957 reported oral cavity cancer cases, 77% non-Hispanic White, 6% non-Hispanic Black, and 14% Hispanic patients, and 47.4% late stage at diagnosis. Non-Hispanic Black [OR, 3.30; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.81-3.88], Hispanic (OR, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.83-2.24), non-Hispanic Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (OR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.33-2.07) patients had higher odds of late stage at diagnosis compared with their non-Hispanic White counterparts. Neighborhood-level social vulnerability modified the associations on an additive scale only for non-Hispanic Black patients. Non-Hispanic Black patients living in the most (OR, 4.72; 95% CI, 3.70-6.02) but not the least (OR, 1.55; 95% CI, 0.81-2.94) vulnerable neighborhoods had higher odds of late stage at diagnosis compared with non-Hispanic White patients living in the least vulnerable neighborhoods. Racial and ethnic minorities were diagnosed with later-stage oral cavity cancer, and minority patients living in the most vulnerable neighborhoods had the highest odds. Addressing neighborhood-level social factors may lessen disparities. Understanding the underlying mechanisms driving these disparities is essential to developing effective interventions to mitigate them. See related In the Spotlight, p. 364.

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the leading cause of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). It is found in extragenital regions, including the oropharyngeal cavity. Its presence in this area is linked to the increased prevalence of oral and pharyngeal cancer cases in young individuals, which is associated with current sexual practices in the young population. Objective, the objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of HPV infection in the oropharyngeal cavity and identify associated factors within the student community of the Engineering and Chemical Sciences Unit of the University of Veracruz. Methods: an observational, descriptive, and transversal study was conducted. The study included 136 sexually active students aged 18 to 25 without oropharyngeal infection. After obtaining informed consent from all participants, mouthwashes were collected from the oropharyngeal cavity for subsequent detection of viral DNA and HPV genotyping using the PCR-RFLP technique. Risk factors were further assessed through a private questionnaire. For statistical analysis, a bivariate analysis of the main risk factors was performed, and Odds Ratios (OR) and 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) were calculated. Results: The results showed that HPV was detected in 6 participants, resulting in a prevalence of 4.4% (95% CI, 0.92–7.91), with genotypes 11, 52 and 58 identified. Notably, participants with a sexual orientation other than heterosexual had a 7.5-fold higher association with HPV. Conclusions: these findings indicate that low- and high-risk HPV infection in the oropharyngeal cavity is associated with risky sexual behavior in young individuals. Therefore, understanding the specifics of sexual activities is necessary to better comprehend viral transmission and spread among HPV-positive students.

Oral cancer (OC) is a major public health problem in the Indian subcontinent. As many as 90% of all OC cases are oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs), often developing from oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs). Although the oral cavity is freely accessible, visual identification is often challenging. Biopsy and a microscopic examination is the only confirmatory diagnostic test. Recently, the analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) has emerged as a new, non-invasive, rapid, and inexpensive strategy with promising potential in clinical diagnostics. The human VOCs produced in metabolic pathways, present in body fluids and the exhaled air, can be used for monitoring several oral diseases, including OC. The aim of the present study was to determine the potential diagnostic capabilities of salivary VOCs in OC through identifying and comparing the salivary volatilomic profiles among OSCC and OPMD subjects, as well as healthy controls, using the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Unstimulated saliva samples were collected from 35 OSCC subjects, 35 OPMD subjects and 40 healthy controls. The VOCs extracted from the ZSM-5/PDMS film were condensed with 100 μL of methanol, of which 1.0 μL was subjected to the GC-MS analysis. A total of 128 salivary VOCs were detected and identified among the OSCC and OPMD subjects and the healthy controls. Twenty-five metabolites were determined to be statistically significant in differentiating among the 3 groups. Organic acids, alcohols, ketones, alkanes, and acid amides were the major classes of VOCs in the OSCC subjects, while organic acids, alcohols, ketones, acid amides, heterocyclic compounds, and phenols constituted the VOC profile in the OPMD subjects. 1-chloro-dodecane and 1-tridecanol were significant VOCs observed among the controls. The study demonstrates that salivary VOC profiling can reveal distinct metabolomic alterations in OSCC and OPMDs, with several VOCs emerging as potential tumor-specific biomarkers. While these findings highlight the promise of VOC-based screening, larger studies are needed to validate these markers and establish their clinical applicability.

An increase in the incidence of oral cancer in women has been reported in some countries. This study investigated demographic, clinicopathological, risk factors, treatment outcomes and predictors for survival in female patients with oral cancer treated in a reference head and neck cancer center for the past 32 years. This retrospective cohort study reviewed the clinical records of women patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The proportion of OSCC cases in women relative to men over the last three decades was investigated. Clinicopathological data were correlated with treatment outcomes using logistic regression analysis. The 2 and 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) were assessed through the Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses. In total, 133 women patients with OSCC were investigated. The ratio of oral cancer cases in women to men has almost doubled in the last decade. Most female patients were non-smokers (51.9%) and non-alcoholics (69.2%) and had early-stage disease at the time of diagnosis (51.9%). The most frequent tumor sites were tongue (46.6%) and alveolar ridge (18%). Advanced clinical stage was the independent predictor for worse 5-year OS (p < 0.001) and DSS (p < 0.001), while non-surgical treatment was associated with poor OS only at the 2-year cutoff (p = 0.003). This study demonstrates an increase in the proportion of oral cancer cases in women in the last decade. Advanced-stage tumors remain the main predictor for women with oral cancer, denoting the need to strengthen policies to increase the rate of early diagnosis for this population. The number of female patients with oral cancer without the classic risk factors for the disease has been increasing over the years. Clinicians should be alerted to ulcerated lesions in the oral mucosa of non-smoking and non-alcoholic women, favoring early diagnosis.

Head and Neck Cancer Incidence, Mortality, and Disability-Adjusted Life Years From 1990 to 2021-A Systematic Analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study.

Oral cancer screening can potentially improve the prevention and early detection of tumors if targeted toward at-risk individuals in the population. This study aims to profile the risk factors of oral cancer in a large Nigerian cohort to enable the selection of participants for cancer screening. This multicenter cross-sectional study involved an organized community oral cancer screening conducted among Nigerians between April 2023 and February 2024. Visual oral examination was conducted by trained personnel to determine the presence of oral cancer and precancerous lesions among participants. Additionally, we interviewed all screened participants based on thirty risk factor information items. Multivariate analysis was performed to determine factors that are significantly associated with oral cancer and precancerous conditions, which were used to construct a multivariate predictive model for oral cancer risk stratification. Screening of 4049 participants detected 127 cases of oral cancer and precancerous lesions. Eight factors that are significantly associated with having a suspicious oral mucosal lesion at screening include tobacco smoking and snuff use, alcohol drinking, lack of fruits/vegetables consumption, and red/processed meat consumption, low spice consumption level, and comorbidities (p-value: <0.001-0.046). The predictive model based on the significant factors has an AUC of 0.74 (0.72 - 0.76) and Youden's index of 0.27 (0.25-0.29) that is higher than the metrics obtained for the conventional method of risk profiling for oral cancer (Youden's index: 0.25 (0.23-0.27)). Risk prediction model has better discrimination and net benefit than the conventional approach for identifying at-risk individuals for oral cancer. This finding supports the potential application of this method for risk stratification during targeted oral cancer screening.

ObjectiveTo explore the global trends in the incidence, mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of lip and oral cavity cancer from 1990 to 2021, analyze regional, age and gender differences in lip and oral cavity cancer across the world, and predict future trends.MethodsThe data were all from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) database, calculating the global incidence, mortality and DALY rates of lip and oral cavity cancer per 100,000 population. The estimated annual percent change (EAPC) was calculated and a Bayesian age-period-cohort (BAPC) analysis was conducted. The fitting curves of the disease burden indicators and the socio-demographic index (SDI) were analyzed.ResultsGlobally, incident cases of lip and oral cavity cancer in 2021 were 421,577 (95% UI, 389,878.79–449,782.06), number of deaths was 208,379 (95% UI, 191,287.97–224,162.08) and number of DALY was 5,874,070 (95% UI, 5,326,986.06-6,347,557.28). From 1990 to 2021, the incidence increased by 63.68%, the mortality rate increased by 44.6%, and the DALY rate increased by 35.21%. Among the five SDI regions, the incidence, mortality, and DALY rate in middle SDI regions have seen the largest increases, with EAPC of 2.83% (95% CI, 2.69–2.97), 1.99% (95% CI, 1.9–2.07), and 1. 71% (95%CI, 1.64–1.78). From the perspective of 21 regions, the incidence of lip and oral cavity cancer was highest in Australasia in 2021 (11.21 per 100,000; 95%UI, 9.97–12.4). At the national level, Palau has the highest incidence, mortality, and DALY rate globally (32.32 per 100,000; 95%UI, 24.64–41.33, 17.62 per 100,000; 95%UI, 13.37–22.83, 558.99 per 100,000; 95%UI, 420.48-735.74). BAPC forecasts a global rise in age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) and age-standardized DALY rate (ASDR) for this cancer in the coming years.ConclusionFrom 1990 to 2021, global rates of lip and oral cavity cancer incidence, mortality, and DALY rates increased significantly, with particularly notable rises in low-middle and middle SDI regions. This highlights the urgency of taking targeted intervention measures.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12903-025-07248-9.