Historically, the death rate associated with oral cancer is particularly high due to late–stage diagnosis and intervention. Currently, the vast majority of patients are detected through a visual exam and/or are symptomatic, at which point they are likely late stage. As a result, oral cancer often goes undetected to the point of metastasizing. Survival rate is only 50% due to delayed intervention with more than half of all diagnoses made at stage III and IV. However, earlier detection (stage I and II) of oral cancer yields survival rates of up to 80% to 90%.†