Habits with killer instincts: in vivo analysis on the severity of oral mucosal alterations using autofluorescence spectroscopy.

Oral habits like chewing and smoking are main causes of oral cancer, which has a higher mortality rate than many other cancer forms. Currently, the long term survival rate of oral cancer is less than 50%, as a majority of cases are detected very late. The clinician's main challenge is to differentiate among a multitude of red, white, or ulcerated lesions.