Tongue cancer
diseaseOn this page
Also known as cancer of tonguemalignant neoplasm of anterior 2/3 of tonguemalignant neoplasm of anterior two-thirds of tonguemalignant neoplasm of anterior two-thirds of tongue, part unspecifiedmalignant neoplasm of base of tonguemalignant neoplasm of border of tonguemalignant neoplasm of dorsal surface of tonguemalignant neoplasm of dorsal tonguemalignant neoplasm of dorsal tongue NOSmalignant neoplasm of dorsum of tonguemalignant neoplasm of fixed part of tonguemalignant neoplasm of fixed part of tongue NOSmalignant neoplasm of junctional zone of tonguemalignant neoplasm of lingual tonsilmalignant neoplasm of mobile part of tonguemalignant neoplasm of mobile part of tongue NOSmalignant neoplasm of other sites of tonguemalignant neoplasm of the tonguemalignant neoplasm of tip and lateral border of tonguemalignant neoplasm of tip and/or lateral border of tongue
Summary
Tongue cancer (MONDO:0004631) is a cancer with 2 GWAS associations across 5 studies and 66 clinical trials. Top therapeutic interventions include sorafenib, lapatinib, and dasatinib anhydrous. A subtype of sensory system cancer — broader associated-gene and molecular evidence is on the parent page (see Disease family below).
At a glance
- Classification: Cancer
- GWAS associations: 2
- Clinical trials: 66
Clinical features
No curated clinical features (Orphanet) for this disease.
Identifiers
Disease identifiers
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Canonical name | tongue cancer |
| Mondo ID | MONDO:0004631 |
| MeSH | D014062 |
| DOID | DOID:8649 |
| NCIT | C9345 |
| SNOMED CT | 363360003 |
| UMLS | C0153349 |
| MedGen | 102262 |
| GARD | 0027692 |
| Anatomy (UBERON) | UBERON:0001723 |
| Is cancer (heuristic) | yes |
Also known as: cancer of tongue · malignant neoplasm of anterior 2/3 of tongue · malignant neoplasm of anterior two-thirds of tongue · malignant neoplasm of anterior two-thirds of tongue, part unspecified · malignant neoplasm of base of tongue · malignant neoplasm of border of tongue · malignant neoplasm of dorsal surface of tongue · malignant neoplasm of dorsal tongue · malignant neoplasm of dorsal tongue NOS · malignant neoplasm of dorsum of tongue · malignant neoplasm of fixed part of tongue · malignant neoplasm of fixed part of tongue NOS · malignant neoplasm of junctional zone of tongue · malignant neoplasm of lingual tonsil · malignant neoplasm of mobile part of tongue · malignant neoplasm of mobile part of tongue NOS · malignant neoplasm of other sites of tongue · malignant neoplasm of the tongue · malignant neoplasm of tip and lateral border of tongue · malignant neoplasm of tip and/or lateral border of tongue (+30 more)
Data availability: 2 GWAS associations (5 studies).
Disease family
An umbrella term covering 2 Mondo subtypes.
Classification path: disease › human disease › disease by etiologic mechanism › cancer or benign tumor › neoplastic disease or syndrome › neoplasm › cancer › nervous system cancer › sensory system cancer › tongue cancer
Related subtypes (6): nasal cavity cancer, ocular cancer, malignant ear neoplasm, auditory system cancer, paranasal sinus cancer, optic tract astrocytoma
Subtypes (2): tongue squamous cell carcinoma, tongue carcinoma
Genetics & variants
GWAS landscape
2 GWAS associations across 5 studies. Top hits map to 2 distinct genes (as reported by GWAS).
Top associations by p-value
| rsID | p-value | Gene | Risk allele | Odds ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rs6913173 | 3e-11 | HLA-DQB1 | T | 0.26 |
| rs2853672 | 5e-10 | TERT | ? |
Top studies (by case count)
| Study | Lead author | Year | Cases | Controls | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GCST90477167 | Verma A | 2024 | 1,977 | 448,582 | Diversity and scale: Genetic architecture of 2068 traits in the VA Million Veteran Program. |
| GCST90651280 | Liu TY | 2025 | 836 | 231,112 | Diversity and longitudinal records: Genetic architecture of disease associations and polygenic risk in the Taiwanese Han population. |
| GCST90435569 | Zhou W | 2018 | 308 | 406,821 | Efficiently controlling for case-control imbalance and sample relatedness in large-scale genetic association studies. |
| GCST90479774 | Verma A | 2024 | 226 | 121,570 | Diversity and scale: Genetic architecture of 2068 traits in the VA Million Veteran Program. |
| GCST90481476 | Verma A | 2024 | 226 | 121,570 | Diversity and scale: Genetic architecture of 2068 traits in the VA Million Veteran Program. |
Variant details and genetic-evidence tiers
Tier distribution (top 50 variants)
| Tier | Variants |
|---|---|
| Tier 1: coding | 0 |
| Tier 2: splice/UTR | 0 |
| Tier 3: regulatory | 0 |
| Tier 4: intronic/intergenic | 2 |
MAF distribution
| Bucket | Variants |
|---|---|
| common (>=0.05) | 2 |
| low_freq (0.01-0.05) | 0 |
| rare (<0.01) | 0 |
| unknown | 0 |
Functional consequences
| Consequence | Count |
|---|---|
| intergenic_variant | 1 |
| intron_variant | 1 |
Top variants
| rsID | Chr | Pos | Alleles | MAF | Consequence | Gene | p-value | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rs6913173 | 6 | 32667587 | T>C | 0.42 | intergenic_variant | HLA-DQB1 | 3e-11 | Tier 4: intronic/intergenic |
| rs2853672 | 5 | 1292868 | C>A,G | 0.05 | intron_variant | TERT | 5e-10 | Tier 4: intronic/intergenic |
Genes & proteins
No associated-gene cohort resolved for this disease. Atlas builds the molecular and therapeutic sections — associated genes, protein families, druggability, pathways, interactions, and drug associations — by aggregating over a disease’s associated genes (resolved via GWAS / GenCC / ClinVar / CIViC), and none resolved here. This is expected for antibody-mediated, autoimmune, or otherwise non-gene-defined conditions; the curated evidence for this disease is its clinical features, GWAS susceptibility, and clinical trials (above).
Function
No pathway enrichment — requires an associated-gene cohort.
Therapeutics
Drugs indicated for this disease
No approved or late-stage (phase ≥3) drug is indicated for this disease; the following are in earlier-phase trials only.
Earlier-phase candidates (phase 2, investigational — efficacy not yet established): Cetuximab, Cisplatin, Ixabepilone.
Clinical trials & evidence
Clinical trials
Clinical trials: 66.
Phase distribution (across all retrieved trials)
| Phase | Trials |
|---|---|
| PHASE2 | 22 |
| Not specified | 21 |
| PHASE1 | 13 |
| PHASE1/PHASE2 | 8 |
| PHASE3 | 2 |
Top trials by phase / activity
| NCT | Phase | Status | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| NCT00588770 | PHASE3 | ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING | Chemotherapy With or Without Bevacizumab in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma |
| NCT00293462 | PHASE3 | COMPLETED | GM-CSF Mouthwash for Preventing and Treating Mucositis in Patients Undergoing Radiation Therapy for Head and Neck Cancer |
| NCT04870762 | PHASE2 | RECRUITING | Customized 3D Printed Oral Stents During Head and Neck Radiotherapy |
| NCT00033618 | PHASE2 | COMPLETED | Ixabepilone in Treating Patients With Metastatic or Recurrent Squamous Cell Cancer of the Head and Neck |
| NCT00064103 | PHASE1/PHASE2 | COMPLETED | Gene Therapy in Preventing Cancer in Patients With Premalignant Carcinoma of the Oral Cavity or Pharynx |
| NCT00096512 | PHASE2 | COMPLETED | S0420, Sorafenib in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer |
| NCT00103259 | PHASE2 | COMPLETED | Bortezomib With or Without Irinotecan in Treating Patients With Locally Recurrent or Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck |
| NCT00114283 | PHASE2 | COMPLETED | Lapatinib Ditosylate in Treating Patients With Metastatic or Recurrent Head and Neck Cancer |
| NCT00330382 | PHASE2 | COMPLETED | Bowman-Birk Inhibitor Concentrate in Preventing Cancer in Patients With Oral Leukoplakia |
| NCT00458978 | PHASE2 | COMPLETED | Cediranib Maleate in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Newly Diagnosed Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer |
| NCT00507767 | PHASE2 | COMPLETED | Dasatinib in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer |
| NCT00513435 | PHASE2 | COMPLETED | Saracatinib in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer |
| NCT00939627 | PHASE2 | COMPLETED | Phase II Randomized Trial of the Combination of Cetuximab and Sorafenib or Single Agent Cetuximab |
| NCT01175980 | PHASE2 | COMPLETED | Vorinostat in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced, Recurrent, or Metastatic Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma |
| NCT01256385 | PHASE2 | COMPLETED | Temsirolimus With or Without Cetuximab in Patients With Recurrent and/or Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer Who Did Not Respond to Previous Therapy |
| NCT01316757 | PHASE2 | COMPLETED | Carboplatin, Paclitaxel, Cetuximab, and Erlotinib Hydrochloride in Treating Patients With Metastatic or Recurrent Head and Neck Squamous Cell Cancer |
| NCT01469429 | PHASE1/PHASE2 | COMPLETED | Phase 1b Food Based Modulation of Biomarkers in Human Tissues at High-Risk for Oral Cancer. |
| NCT01674374 | PHASE2 | WITHDRAWN | Botanical Therapy in Treating Mucositis in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer Who Have Undergone Chemoradiation Therapy |
| NCT01806675 | PHASE1/PHASE2 | COMPLETED | 18F-FPPRGD2 PET/CT or PET/MRI in Predicting Early Response in Patients With Cancer Receiving Anti-Angiogenesis Therapy |
| NCT01816984 | PHASE1/PHASE2 | COMPLETED | PI3K Inhibitor BKM120 and Cetuximab in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer |
| NCT01953952 | PHASE2 | WITHDRAWN | Radiation Therapy and Cisplatin With or Without Surgery in Treating Patients With Stage III-IV Oropharyngeal Cancer |
| NCT02007200 | PHASE2 | COMPLETED | Soy Isoflavones in Preventing Head and Neck Cancer Recurrence in Patients With Stage I-IV Head and Neck Cancer Undergoing Surgery |
| NCT02068157 | PHASE2 | TERMINATED | Interstitial Photodynamic Therapy in Treating Patients With Recurrent Head and Neck Cancer |
| NCT02123511 | PHASE2 | COMPLETED | Acetylcysteine Rinse in Reducing Saliva Thickness and Mucositis in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer Undergoing Radiation Therapy |
| NCT02196168 | PHASE2 | TERMINATED | Cisplatin With or Without WEE1 Inhibitor MK-1775 in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer |
| NCT02254278 | PHASE2 | COMPLETED | Reduced-Dose Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy With or Without Cisplatin in Treating Patients With Advanced Oropharyngeal Cancer |
| NCT02748707 | PHASE2 | UNKNOWN | Effect of COX-2 and EGFR Suppression on Molecular Markers of Angiogenesis and Proliferation in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Oral Cavity - Prospective Randomized Study |
| NCT02849379 | PHASE1/PHASE2 | COMPLETED | Combination of Cryosurgey and NK Immunotherapy for Recurrent Tongue Cancer |
| NCT03008330 | PHASE1/PHASE2 | COMPLETED | High-activity Natural Killer Immunotherapy for Small Metastases of Tongue Cancer |
| NCT03161548 | PHASE2 | TERMINATED | A Study of Tongue Conservation Surgery for Oral Tongue Cancer |
| NCT03181035 | PHASE1/PHASE2 | SUSPENDED | Correlation of FAZA PET Hypoxia Imaging To 3D Histology in Oral Tongue Cancer |
| NCT03602079 | PHASE1/PHASE2 | COMPLETED | Study of A166 in Patients With Relapsed/Refractory Cancers Expressing HER2 Antigen or Having Amplified HER2 Gene |
| NCT00049283 | PHASE1 | COMPLETED | Erlotinib, Docetaxel, and Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer |
| NCT00397384 | PHASE1 | COMPLETED | Erlotinib Hydrochloride and Cetuximab in Treating Patients With Advanced Gastrointestinal Cancer, Head and Neck Cancer, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, or Colorectal Cancer |
| NCT00906360 | PHASE1 | TERMINATED | Sunitinib, Cetuximab, and Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced or Recurrent Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck |
| NCT01254617 | PHASE1 | COMPLETED | Lenalidomide and Cetuximab in Treating Patients With Advanced Colorectal Cancer or Head and Neck Cancer |
| NCT01332279 | PHASE1 | WITHDRAWN | Everolimus, Erlotinib Hydrochloride, and Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Recurrent Head and Neck Cancer Previously Treated With Radiation Therapy |
| NCT01334177 | PHASE1 | COMPLETED | TLR8 Agonist VTX-2337 and Cetuximab in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced, Recurrent, or Metastatic Squamous Cell Cancer of Head and Neck |
| NCT01528137 | PHASE1 | TERMINATED | Talactoferrin in Treating Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer or Squamous Cell Head and Neck Cancer |
| NCT01637194 | PHASE1 | COMPLETED | Cetuximab and Everolimus in Treating Patients With Metastatic or Recurrent Colon Cancer or Head and Neck Cancer |
Drugs tested across these trials (top 30)
| Molecule | Max phase | Trials referencing |
|---|---|---|
| SORAFENIB | 4 | 4 |
| LAPATINIB | 4 | 3 |
| DASATINIB ANHYDROUS | 4 | 2 |
| IXABEPILONE | 4 | 1 |
| PORFIMER SODIUM | 4 | 1 |
| SARGRAMOSTIM | 4 | 1 |
| TEMOPORFIN | 4 | 1 |
| TEMSIROLIMUS | 4 | 1 |
| VORINOSTAT | 4 | 1 |
| CEDIRANIB MALEATE | 3 | 1 |
| SARACATINIB | 3 | 1 |
| TALACTOFERRIN ALFA | 3 | 1 |
| CONTUSUGENE LADENOVEC | 2 | 1 |
| ENTOLIMOD | 2 | 1 |
| PIMONIDAZOLE | 2 | 1 |
| SOY ISOFLAVONES | 2 | 1 |
| TRASTUZUMAB BOTIDOTIN | 2 | 1 |
| CHEMBL4583196 | 0 | 1 |
| CHEMBL4438584 | 0 | 1 |
| CHEMBL3883608 | 0 | 1 |