Where in the body do head and neck cancers form?

Head and neck cancers can form in several areas: the oral cavity (mouth), the throat (pharynx), the voice box (larynx), the paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity, and the salivary glands. Most begin in the squamous cells that line the moist surfaces inside these areas.

The throat, or pharynx, has three parts: the nasopharynx behind the nose, the oropharynx in the middle (including the tonsils and base of the tongue), and the hypopharynx at the bottom.

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, even though they are in the same region. Your healthcare team can explain more about a specific type.