New report: The Real Impact of Mouth Cancer

As we reach the end of Mouth Cancer Action Month, we want to say a heartfelt thank you to the thousands of you who have supported this year's campaign.

Your efforts - raising awareness, sharing messages, holding events and talking about early signs - genuinely make a difference. Mouth cancer is now the 10th most common cancer in the UK, with more than 11,000 people diagnosed and an estimated 3,637 lives lost last year. Early detection saves lives, and awareness is where that starts.

A new report

As part of this year's campaign, we carried out new research with people in the UK who have lived through mouth cancer.

Our new report, Mouth Cancer Impact Report: From Diagnosis to Daily Life , looks at what happens beyond the diagnosis - including:

• How long it took to get diagnosed.
• The realities of treatment.
• The impact on eating and nutrition.
• Changes to relationships and social life.
• The toll on mental health.
• The financial strain of cancer.
• The quality of aftercare and support.

Read the full report 

What patients told us

Some of the most striking findings include:

• Diagnosis is often too late: More than half of cases featured in the report were diagnosed at stage 4. Nearly half of patients did not get a specialist referral at their first appointment, and some waited over a year for a confirmed diagnosis. 71% believed delays affected their treatment.
• Treatment changes daily life: Surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy often leave people with lasting problems with speech, eating, swallowing, pain and fatigue.
• Eating becomes a challenge: 60% had to make major changes to their diet. Many rely on supplements or modified textures just to get enough nutrition.
• Mental health is heavily affected - but support is rare: 98% reported a negative impact on their emotional wellbeing, yet only 7% were accessing mental health support at the time of the survey.
• Money is a constant worry: 70% said mouth cancer had a negative effect on their finances, with extra costs for travel, dental care, food and lost income.
• Aftercare is patchy and often incomplete: Many patients said they had to find help themselves. Only 24% felt aftercare had significantly improved their quality of life; 14% said it had not helped at all.

Mouth Cancer Action Month is ending. Our work is not.

Mouth Cancer Action Month may be coming to a close, but the challenges revealed in this report are with people all year round. On the back of these findings, we will be working to:

• Push for earlier diagnosis: Campaigning for faster referrals, better awareness of symptoms, and more consistent pathways in dental practices, GP surgeries and hospitals.
• Improve support around eating and nutrition: Championing better access to dietitians and practical advice so people can eat safely, maintain their weight and enjoy food again.
• Make mental health part of mouth cancer care: Calling for routine emotional support and counselling to be built into treatment and aftercare, not left for patients to find alone.
• Highlight the financial cost of mouth cancer: Working with charities and policymakers to improve signposting to financial help, benefits and practical support for those facing hardship.
• Strengthen aftercare and signposting: Advocating for joined-up aftercare - including dental care, speech therapy, physiotherapy and peer support - so no one feels "sent home" to cope on their own.

Thank you again for everything you have done this Mouth Cancer Action Month. Your support means that the voices in this report are not just heard - they can drive real change.

With gratitude,

Oral Health Foundation

The Oral Health Foundation thanks the Mouth Cancer Foundation  for their support during Mouth Cancer Action Month - a partnership that amplifies patient voices, raises life-saving awareness and drives real change.