Jaw cancer is a rare type of head and neck cancer and one of many types of oral cancer. Most often, jaw cancer develops when head and neck cancers—situated in the floor of the mouth, tongue, tonsils, salivary glands or palate—metastasize (spread) there.

Rarely, jaw cancer may arise on its own as an osteosarcoma, a type of cancer that forms in the bone.

Jaw cancer can be located in the upper or lower portion of the jaw:

• Mandibular cancer is jaw cancer that forms in the lower portion, or the mandible.
• When jaw cancer is located in the upper portion, or maxilla, it’s called hard palate cancer.

Jaw cancer occurs in more advanced stages of oral cavity or oropharyngeal cancers, including stage 4. These cancers may or may not have HPV (human papillomavirus) DNA. Cancers that contain HPV DNA are referred to as p-16 positive, and they have a better prognosis than those that don’t have HPV DNA (p-16 negative).

Types of jaw cancer

The types of cancerous odontogenic tumors include:

• Ameloblastic carcinoma:- a rare but aggressive tumor
• Primary intraosseous carcinoma:- a rare squamous cell carcinoma arising in the bone
• Sclerosing odontogenic carcinoma:- a rare primary intraosseous carcinoma arising in the bone
• Clear cell odontogenic carcinoma:- a rare odontogenic (arising from tooth-forming tissues) tumor
• Ghost cell odontogenic carcinoma:- an extremely rare odontogenic epithelial tumor
• Odontogenic carcinosarcoma:- an extremely rare odontogenic tumor
• Odontogenic sarcomas:- connective tissue tumors containing epithelium

What causes jaw cancer?

Causes of jaw cancer (mandibular or hard palate) may be attributed to a combination of environmental factors and genetics, although certain risk factors can increase your risk of developing the disease. These risk factors include:

• Tobacco: Smoking or chewing tobacco is the most common risk factor for both hard palate and mandibular cancers.
• Alcohol: Drinking excessive alcohol increases the risk of oral squamous cell cancers; smoking along with excessive alcohol consumption almost doubles this risk.
• Betel nut: People who chew betel nut, a seed from the areca tree, are at a greater risk of developing jaw cancer.
• Excess weight: Carrying too much body weight can increase the risk of oropharyngeal and laryngeal cancers.
• Age: Oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers are most common in people older than age 55.
• Poor oral hygiene: Research is ongoing, but the health of your mouth and gums may be a contributing factor to oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers.
• Viral infections: Viral infections such as HPV increase the risk of occurrence in people younger than age 50.
• Poor nutrition: A diet low in fruits and vegetables increases oral cavity and oropharynx cancers.
• Genetics: People with genetic mutations that are inherited — such as Fanconi anemia and dyskeratosis congenita — have a high risk of developing mouth and middle throat cancers.

Oral and jaw cancer signs and symptoms

In general, most of these malignant tumors grow in the back of the mouth, near the molars on the lower jaw (mandible). Some affect the upper jaw (maxilla).

The signs and symptoms of oral cancer or jaw cancer vary depending by stage. For example, in the early stages, you may feel no symptoms, or you may begin to feel some pain. Some jaw cancer symptoms you may experience include:

• Pain or difficulty swallowing
• Painful mouth sores or ulcers that don’t heal
• Difficulty opening the mouth
• Red or white patches in the mouth that persist for weeks
• Bleeding from the mouth that is recurrent
• Halitosis, or bad breath
• Numbness in the mouth or tongue
• Jaw or ear pain
• Difficulty speaking
• Dentures that don’t fit any longer
• Damage to bones, such as loose teeth
• Swelling that causes difficulty swallowing