What Is Head and Neck Cancer?

The simple versionExplain▾

Head and neck cancers are a group of cancers that share a location in the body. Most of them begin in the squamous cells that line the moist, inner surfaces of the head and neck, such as the inside of the mouth, the throat, and the voice box. These moist surfaces are called mucosal surfaces, and cancers that start there are called squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck.

Head and neck cancers can also begin in the salivary glands, the sinuses, or the muscles or nerves of the head and neck. But these types are much less common than squamous cell carcinomas.

In short: most head and neck cancers begin in the squamous cells lining the mouth, throat, and voice box.

Where head and neck cancers formExplain▾

These cancers can form in several areas:

• Oral cavity (mouth). Includes the lips, the front two-thirds of the tongue, the gums, the lining inside the cheeks and lips, the floor of the mouth under the tongue, the hard palate (bony roof of the mouth), and the small area of gum behind the wisdom teeth.
• Throat (pharynx). The pharynx is a hollow tube about 5 inches long that starts behind the nose and leads to the esophagus. It has three parts: the nasopharynx (behind the nose), the oropharynx (the middle part, including the soft palate, base of the tongue, and tonsils), and the hypopharynx (the lower part).
• Voice box (larynx). A short passageway just below the pharynx that contains the vocal cords. It also has the epiglottis, a small flap of tissue that covers the voice box to keep food out of the air passages.
• Paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity. The sinuses are small hollow spaces in the bones around the nose. The nasal cavity is the hollow space inside the nose.
• Salivary glands. These glands produce saliva. The major glands are in the floor of the mouth and near the jawbone, and minor glands are found throughout the lining of the mouth and throat.

Cancers of the brain, the eye, the esophagus, the thyroid gland, and the skin of the head and neck are not usually classified as head and neck cancers.

What raises the riskExplain▾

• Tobacco and alcohol. Alcohol and tobacco use, including secondhand smoke and smokeless tobacco, are the two most important risk factors, especially for cancers of the mouth, hypopharynx, and voice box. People who use both tobacco and alcohol are at greater risk than people who use just one.
• HPV infection. Infection with cancer-causing types of human papillomavirus (HPV), especially HPV type 16, is a risk factor for oropharyngeal cancers that involve the tonsils or the base of the tongue.
• Other factors. These include the use of paan (betel quid), certain workplace exposures such as wood dust or asbestos, past radiation to the head and neck, Epstein-Barr virus infection, some ancestry backgrounds, and certain inherited genetic disorders.

In short: tobacco, alcohol, and certain HPV infections are the main risk factors.

Symptoms to knowExplain▾

Head and neck cancer symptoms may include:

• a lump in the neck
• a sore in the mouth or throat that does not heal and may be painful
• a sore throat that does not go away
• difficulty swallowing
• a change or hoarseness in the voice

These symptoms can also be caused by other, less serious conditions. It is important to check with a doctor or dentist about any of them.

Lowering the riskExplain▾

People who are at risk, particularly those who use tobacco, can talk with their doctor about ways to stop using tobacco to reduce their risk. Avoiding oral HPV infection can also reduce the risk of HPV-associated head and neck cancers.

There is no standard or routine screening test for head and neck cancers. However, dentists may check the mouth for signs of cancer during a routine checkup.

Everyone's situation is different. Your healthcare team is the best source of information about your own health and any next steps.