During an 11 year period, from 1976 to 1986, 33 (10.1%) out of 328 patients with oral cancer treated at our clinic had either a scarred pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) or active TB. Four of these 33 patients developed active TB. In two of these cases TB occurred before the therapy of oral cancer commenced and in the other two, after the operation for oral cancer. In one of the 4 cases, a recrudescence of the TB was suspected. Five cases that were suspected of having TB on analysis of their chest X-rays were administered prophylactic anti-tuberculous chemotherapy, after which no recrudescence or onset of TB.