Oral Cancer Awareness and Prevention

Detected April 3rd, 2026

Summary

The Mississippi State Department of Health issued a public health awareness notice recognizing Oropharyngeal, Head and Neck Cancer Prevention Month. The notice provides Mississippi-specific statistics showing approximately 560 diagnoses and 140 deaths annually (25% mortality rate), and identifies tobacco, alcohol, and HPV as primary risk factors.

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What changed

The Mississippi State Department of Health published a cancer awareness notice providing statewide oral and oropharyngeal cancer statistics and prevention recommendations. Approximately 560 Mississippians are diagnosed annually with oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers, with roughly 140 deaths per year representing a 25% mortality rate. The notice identifies tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and HPV infection as the strongest risk factors, noting that oral and head/neck cancers have increased approximately 1% annually since the mid-2000s due primarily to HPV-related cancers.

This is an informational public health announcement containing no regulatory requirements, compliance deadlines, or enforcement provisions. Healthcare providers may share the recommended prevention strategies with patients, including tobacco cessation resources (quitnow.net/ms), regular dental screenings for oral cavity examination, HPV vaccination, limiting alcohol consumption, and barrier protection methods during sexual activity. No regulatory action or filing is required.

Source document (simplified)

Jackson, Miss. — April is recognized as Oropharyngeal (mouth/throat), Head and Neck Cancer Prevention Month, and the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) is spreading awareness that many of these cancers are largely preventable. Of the roughly 560 Mississippians diagnosed with oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers each year, about 140 die, a mortality rate of about 25 percent.

The strongest risk factors for these cancers are tobacco and alcohol use, and human papilloma virus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection. In fact, oral, head and neck cancers have increased by about 1 percent each year since the mid-2000s, mostly because of a rise in cancers linked to HPV.

You can lower your risk of developing these types of cancer:

Don't smoke. If you smoke or use nicotine products, consider quitting. Resources to help can be found at quitnow.net/ms
Visit the dentist regularly and ask for oral cavity screening; checkups often can find head and neck cancers early, when they are easier to treat.
Limit the amount of alcohol you drink.
Get vaccinated against the HPV virus, which causes 90% of all HPV-related cancers.
Use condoms and dental dams during sex, both available at county health departments.
Visit the dentist regularly and ask for oral cavity screening; checkups often can find head and neck cancers early, when they are easier to treat. Visit this link to take a cancer risk assessment: www.cancer.org/cancer/risk-prevention/cancer-risk-360.htm.

For more resources, visit msdh.ms.gov/cancer

Press Contact: MSDH Office of Communications, (601) 576-7667
Note to media: After hours or during emergencies, call (601) 576-7400