Objectives: To describe the incidence and mortality of oral and oropharynx cancers in South America using available public databases and to discuss the main pitfalls for acquiring reliable data. Results: The incidence of oral and oropharynx cancers in South America varied, with the highest rates observed in Brazil among males. The mortality data in selected South American countries ranged from 0.72 to 6.04/100,000 and the proportion of illdefined deaths in South America varied from 5.0% to

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... . Mortality trends for males decreased about 2.5% in most of the countries, excluding Brazil, whereas among females, a significant decrease occurred only in Colombia, with an increase in Brazil and Peru. Conclusion: Although there is a lack of reliable databases in South America, the available data demonstrate a decrease in mortality trends in most countries and the highest incidence in Brazil. The development and improvement of national cancer public databases in South America are highly desirable and necessary to better understand the characteristics and distribution of these neoplasms.