Concentrations of carotenoids, retinoids and tocopherols were determined in the homogenate of macroscopically normal appearing oropharyngeal mucosa from 10 chronic alcoholics and from 11 control patients. All the alcoholics except one had oropharyngeal cancer. No significant difference was found in tissue levels of carotenoids and tocopherols between alcoholics and controls. Furthermore, in seven of 11 controls, retinol was undetectable in the oropharyngeal mucosa, while in the alcoholics only two out of 10 had unmeasurable retinol levels. These results do not support the concept that ethanol-associated oropharyngeal carcinogenesis is due, at least in part, to local deficiencies in retinoids, carotenoids or alpha-tocopherols.