Head and Neck Cancer

Summary

Head and neck cancer includes cancers of the mouth, nose, sinuses, salivary glands, throat, and lymph nodes in the neck. Most begin in the moist tissues that line the mouth, nose, and throat. Symptoms include:

• A lump or sore that does not heal
• A sore throat that does not go away
• Trouble swallowing
• A change or hoarseness in the voice

Head and neck cancers are twice as common in men. Using tobacco or alcohol increases your risk. In fact, around 75% of head and neck cancers are linked to tobacco use, including smoking and smokeless tobacco. Infection with HPV is a risk factor for some head and neck cancers.

To diagnose head and neck cancer, your doctor will do a physical exam and diagnostic tests. You will have a biopsy, where a sample of tissue is taken out and examined under a microscope. It is the only test that can tell for sure if you have cancer.

If found early, these cancers are often curable. Treatments may include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or a combination. Treatments can affect eating, speaking or even breathing, so patients may need rehabilitation.

NIH: National Cancer Institute

National Cancer Institute

Specifics

• Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma American Society of Clinical Oncology
• General Information about Metastatic Squamous Neck Cancer with Occult Primary National Cancer Institute

Patient Handouts

• After chemotherapy – discharge Medical Encyclopedia
• Glomus jugulare tumor Medical Encyclopedia
• Mouth and neck radiation – discharge Medical Encyclopedia
• Neck dissection Medical Encyclopedia
• Neck dissection – discharge Medical Encyclopedia
• Swallowing problems Medical Encyclopedia

Find an Expert

• American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery
• American Cancer Society American Cancer Society
• Find a Cancer Doctor American Society of Clinical Oncology
• Find an ENT American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery
• National Cancer Institute National Cancer Institute
• NCI Designated Cancer Centers National Cancer Institute
• Organizations that Offer Cancer Support Services National Cancer Institute

Children

• Childhood Esthesioneuroblastoma Treatment National Cancer Institute
• Childhood Laryngeal Tumors Treatment National Cancer Institute
• Childhood Midline Tract Carcinoma with NUT Gene Changes Treatment National Cancer Institute
• Childhood Nasopharyngeal Cancer Treatment National Cancer Institute
• Childhood Oral Cavity Cancer Treatment National Cancer Institute
• Childhood Salivary Gland Tumors Treatment National Cancer Institute
• Childhood Thyroid Cancer Treatment National Cancer Institute

Related Issues

• Cigar Smoking and Cancer National Cancer Institute
• Difficulty Chewing American Society of Clinical Oncology
• Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and Oropharyngeal Cancer Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Oral Complications of Chemotherapy and Head/Neck Radiation National Cancer Institute

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Head and Neck Neoplasms National Institutes of Health

Diagnosis and Tests

• Computed Tomography (CT) — Head Radiological Society of North America
• Head MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) Radiological Society of North America

Reference Desk

• Dictionary of Cancer Terms National Cancer Institute

Treatments and Therapies

• Drugs Approved for Head and Neck Cancer National Cancer Institute
• Head and Neck Cancer Treatment Radiological Society of North America

Start Here

• Head and Neck Cancer American Society of Clinical Oncology
• Head and Neck Cancers National Cancer Institute

Symptoms

• Head and Neck Cancer: Symptoms and Signs American Society of Clinical Oncology

Genetics

• Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine

Encyclopedia

• Head CT scan Medical Encyclopedia

Journal Articles

• Head, neck and facial cancers