Referral to a specialist for possible mouth and oropharyngeal cancer

Seeing your GP or dentist

Most patients who see a GP or dentist do not have cancer and have symptoms due to a more minor condition. For some symptoms, your doctor or dentist may ask you to wait to see if the symptoms get better or respond to treatment, such as antibiotics.

UK referral guidelines

There are guidelines for GPs to help them decide who needs a referral. These vary between the different UK nations. Your GP will use these guidelines as well as their own experience and judgement. 

Specialists in Northern Ireland are updating their head and neck guidelines. We will add these when they are available.

England and Wales

These guidelines are for cancer of the mouth (oral cancer).  Your GP should consider an urgent referral to a specialist if you have either:

• unexplained mouth ulcers that do not go away after 3 weeks or

• an unexplained lump in the neck that is there all the time

Your GP should consider an urgent referral to a dentist to check for mouth cancer within 2 weeks if you have either:

• a lump on the lip or in your mouth or 

• red or red and white patches in your mouth and your dentist thinks they may be abnormal areas of tissue called erythroplakia or erythroleukoplakia

If your dentist feels that these symptoms could be cancer, then they should refer you to a cancer specialist. 

Read more about erythroplakia and erythroleukoplakia

Scotland

The Scottish guidelines are general head and neck guidelines.

You should have an emergency referral if you have symptoms caused by a blockage or narrowing of the airway. This includes noisy breathing (​stridor​). 

Your GP or dentist should refer you to a specialist if you have any of the following that last for more than 3 weeks:

• an unexplained lump in the head or neck area

• an unexplained swelling or break (ulceration) on your lips or in your mouth

• unexplained red or red and white patches in your mouth

• a hoarse voice that is there all the time and doesn’t go away

• painful swallowing or a painful throat that is there all the time

Other symptoms

Your GP will consider any other symptoms you have, so do mention these.

Find out more about the symptoms of mouth and oropharyngeal cancer

Risk factors

They might also take into account whether you have any risk factors that affect your chances of developing a mouth or oropharyngeal cancer.

Go to the risk and causes of mouth or oropharyngeal cancer

If you're still worried

Sometimes you might feel that your GP is not concerned enough about your symptoms. If you think they should be more concerned, print this page and the symptoms page. Ask your GP to explain why they don’t think you need a referral.

Contact your GP again if your symptoms don't get better or you notice any new or unusual symptoms.

What should you do if you don’t get an appointment?

If your GP has referred you to a specialist, ask them when you should get your appointment. Contact them again if you don’t get one. Or some hospitals have a referral service you could try contacting if you know which hospital you are going to. Explain that you are waiting for an urgent suspected cancer referral.

Go to more information about an urgent referral, what to expect and questions to ask