Oral cancer most commonly occurs in middle-aged and older individuals, although a disturbing number of these malignancies is also being documented in younger adults in recent years. From an epidemiological and clinicopathological perspective, "oral cancer" can be divided into three categories: carcinomas of the oral cavity proper, carcinomas of the lip vermilion, and carcinomas arising in the oropharynx. Intraoral and oropharyngeal tumors are more common among men than women, with a male: female ratio of over 2:1.2. However, the disparity in the male: female ratio has become less pronounced over the past half century, probably because women have been more equally exposing themselves to known oral carcinogens such as tobacco and alcohol.