The palate — or roof of the mouth — consists of two sections. The soft area toward the back of the mouth is considered a part of the throat. The hard, bony part closer to the front is considered a part of the oral cavity.

Cancer of the hard palate isn’t very common. Only about 54,000 cases are diagnosed each year worldwide.

To learn more about this rare cancer — including how it is diagnosed and treated — we spoke with head...