NewsIn memory
What Sammy Davis Jr.'s Story Can Help Us Understand About Throat Cancer
The legendary entertainer died of throat cancer in 1990. Here is what that kind of head and neck cancer means, explained calmly and simply.
A plain-language summary based on public reporting and trusted sources, linked below.
Please note: this page is educational only — it is not medical advice, and it does not speculate about anyone’s health beyond reliable public reporting. For questions about your own health, talk with your healthcare team.
What was reported at the time
Sammy Davis Jr. was a singer, dancer, actor and impressionist, and a member of the group known as the Rat Pack.
The Associated Press report of his death, carried in the Roanoke Times on 16 May 1990, sets out what was public. Davis died at home that morning, aged 64. His cancer was first diagnosed in September 1989. He had been admitted to hospital in January for treatment of a gum infection, and doctors then found a recurrence of throat cancer; no further chemotherapy was planned. His health had declined steadily since he left hospital on 13 March.
The same report notes that a chain of cigarettes was as much a part of his public image as his jewelry.
That is the public record, and this page adds nothing to it. What follows is about the disease, not about him.
What "throat cancer" actually covers
The term is everyday shorthand, not a diagnosis. NCI groups head and neck cancers by the site where they start: the mouth, the throat, the voice box, the nose and sinuses, and the salivary glands.
Which site is involved changes the symptoms, the treatment and the effects on speaking, eating and swallowing. Our page on head and neck cancer types sets out the differences.
Most of these cancers are squamous cell carcinomas, meaning they start in the flat cells lining these surfaces.
The two exposures that drive most of them
NCI is direct about the cause. Most head and neck squamous cell carcinomas of the mouth and voice box are caused by tobacco and alcohol use.
The combination is worse than either alone. NCI states that people who use both tobacco and alcohol are at greater risk than people who use only one.
Human papillomavirus is a separate story. NCI reports that HPV infection, especially HPV type 16, is a risk factor for oropharyngeal cancers involving the tonsils or the base of the tongue, and that about three-quarters of all oropharyngeal cancers are caused by chronic HPV infection. In the United States, HPV-caused oropharyngeal cancers are increasing while those from other causes are falling.
Other risk factors NCI names are narrower: paan or betel quid; work exposure to wood dust, nickel dust or formaldehyde; radiation to the head and neck; Epstein-Barr virus; and inherited conditions such as Fanconi anemia.
When to get checked
There is no routine screening test for head and neck cancers. NCI says so, adding that dentists may spot signs of cancer in the mouth during a checkup, which is one practical argument for going.
That puts the weight on symptoms. NCI's general list is 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, and a change or hoarseness in the voice.
By site, NCI adds:
- Mouth: a white or red patch on the gums, tongue or lining of the mouth; a growth or swelling of the jaw that makes dentures fit poorly; unusual bleeding or pain in the mouth.
- Throat: pain when swallowing; neck or throat pain that does not go away; pain or ringing in the ears; trouble hearing.
- Voice box: trouble breathing or speaking, pain when swallowing, or ear pain.
- Sinuses and nasal cavity: blocked sinuses that do not clear; chronic sinus infections that do not respond to antibiotics; nosebleeds; frequent headaches; swelling or trouble with the eyes; pain in the upper teeth.
- Salivary glands: swelling under the chin or around the jawbone; numbness or paralysis of facial muscles; face, chin or neck pain that does not go away.
NCI says these can also come from less serious conditions, and that it is important to check with a doctor or dentist about any of them.
The workable rule is three weeks. Hoarseness, a mouth ulcer or a sore throat that has not settled in three weeks is worth an appointment, particularly for anyone who smokes or drinks heavily. Our page on head and neck cancer symptoms goes through what happens next.
Ear pain on one side with a normal-looking ear is the sign people most often ignore. It can be referred pain from the throat.
What can be prevented
NCI's advice on reducing risk is short. People at risk, particularly those who use tobacco, should talk with a doctor about stopping.
Vaccination covers part of the rest. In June 2020 the FDA granted accelerated approval of Gardasil 9 for preventing oropharyngeal and other head and neck cancers caused by HPV types 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52 and 58, in people aged 9 through 45.
The numbers
NCI reports that head and neck cancers make up nearly 4 percent of all US cancers, are more than twice as common in men, and are diagnosed more often after 50.
For 2026 the American Cancer Society projects 60,480 new US oral cavity and pharynx cancer cases and 13,150 deaths; SEER carries the estimate. Median age at diagnosis is 65.
Five-year relative survival for cases from 2016 to 2022 is 69.9 percent overall. By spread at diagnosis it is 88.7 percent while confined to the primary site, 69.7 percent with regional lymph nodes involved, and 36.0 percent for distant disease.
Only 26 percent are found localized; 55 percent already involve regional nodes. That distribution is why a persistent sore throat matters.
These are registry averages covering many different cancers together. They describe a population and cannot describe a person, and outcomes differ sharply between HPV-related and tobacco-related disease.
What to keep in perspective
A death in 1990 tells you nothing about outcomes now. Surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and reconstruction have all changed, and HPV testing was not part of routine care.
Risk factors are not verdicts. Most people who smoke do not get head and neck cancer, and some people who never smoked do.
The absence of screening is not an oversight. NCI notes there is no standard or routine test, which leaves symptoms and dental checks as the route in.
And treatment here affects speaking, eating and swallowing. That needs planning with a team before treatment, not after.
Sources
- Associated Press, Singer-Dancer-Actor Sammy Davis Jr. Dies of Cancer, Roanoke Times, 16 May 1990 (Virginia Tech news archive) — https://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/ROA-Times/issues/1990/rt9005/900516/05160704.htm
- NCI, Head and Neck Cancers fact sheet — https://www.cancer.gov/types/head-and-neck/head-neck-fact-sheet
- NCI PDQ, Laryngeal Cancer Treatment (Patient Version) — https://www.cancer.gov/types/head-and-neck/patient/adult/laryngeal-treatment-pdq
- SEER Cancer Stat Facts, Oral Cavity and Pharynx Cancer — https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/oralcav.html
How this article was prepared
An AI-assisted editorial system helped prepare this page. No named medical reviewer has reviewed it unless one is listed.
The National Cancer Information Foundation publishes Cancer Explained. This page is for learning. It is not medical advice and does not suggest a test or treatment.
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Put the story in context
Prevention, possible warning signs, screening, and diagnosis
This story relates to Throat cancer (head and neck cancer). The information below is general: it does not reveal anything else about a public person’s health, and not every point applies to every cancer. Personal advice depends on age, symptoms, family history, exposures, and medical history.
Prevention and risk reduction
Not every cancer can be prevented. Avoiding tobacco, protecting skin from ultraviolet radiation, limiting alcohol, staying active, and receiving recommended HPV or hepatitis B vaccination can lower the risk of certain cancers. A risk factor is not a prediction or a cause in one individual.
Symptoms and possible early signs
Possible signs vary and are often caused by conditions other than cancer. Changes worth discussing include a new lump, unexplained bleeding or weight loss, a persistent cough, lasting bowel or bladder changes, a changing skin spot, or symptoms that persist or worsen. Some early cancers cause no symptoms.
Screening and early detection
Screening looks for certain cancers before symptoms begin. Recommended tests exist only for some cancers and depend on age and risk. Screening can have benefits and harms; it is not the same as evaluating a new symptom, and there is no single routine scan or blood test that reliably screens for every cancer.
How cancer is diagnosed
Diagnosis may involve a history and exam, imaging, laboratory tests, and often a biopsy. Pathology can identify the cancer type and may test biomarkers that guide treatment. Symptoms, screening results, tumor markers, or online stories alone cannot confirm cancer.
Learn about this story’s cancer topic
A public story may encourage questions, but it should not be used to estimate your risk or choose testing. Contact a healthcare professional about a persistent or concerning change. Seek urgent care for severe or rapidly worsening symptoms.