Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsTypes of CancersCauses and Risk FactorsDiagnosisTreatmentPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Types of Cancers
Causes and Risk Factors
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prevention
The term “head and neck cancers” includes a variety of cancers that originate in the head or neck region. Thyroid and skin cancers are not counted among this group. However, it does include some cancers of the mouth, nose, and throat, likelaryngeal canceror tumors in your nasal sinuses.
Because there are different kinds of head and neck cancers, there also are different causes and symptoms as well as treatments. This article offers a general look at some of these common head and neck cancers, including those linked to thehuman papillomavirus(HPV).
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Symptoms of head and neck cancer vary, depending on the specific cancer. A broad spectrum of symptoms may include:
The following are some of the main types of head and neck cancers.
Salivary Gland Cancer
Cancers of the salivary glandsare rare. These cancers are found in the three main salivary glands responsible for producing the saliva in your mouth. These are called theparotid glands,submandibular glands, andsublingual glands.
Symptoms of this cancer include difficulty swallowing, facial pain, bleeding or a sore in your mouth, and a lump either in your mouth or neck.
Laryngeal Cancer
This type of cancer affects your vocal cords, and changes in your voice may be an early symptom. People with laryngeal cancer also may experience ear and throat pain, difficulty swallowing, and the sense that their airways are obstructed, or closed off.
Smoking, excessive alcohol use, and HPV are the strongest risk factors for cancers of the larynx.
Tumors of the Oropharynx
Oropharynxcancersaffect the back of your throat and tongue, as well as your tonsils. Smoking, alcohol use, and HPV infection are the common risk factors in this type of head and neck cancer.
There’s some evidence that HPV-related cases begin with a neck lump as the first sign of cancer, while tobacco-related cases start with a sore throat, trouble swallowing, or unexplained weight loss.
Hypopharyngeal Cancer
These cancers are found in the lowest part of yourpharynx. This part of the pharynx also is called the laryngopharynx. It’s a part of your throat behind your voicebox, or larynx. Common symptoms include pain, difficulty swallowing, and bleeding.
Hypopharynxcancer is one of the most common head and neck cancers. It tends to have a poor prognosis, in part because of high rates of spread, ormetastasis, to distant parts of the body.
Nasopharyngeal Cancer
These cancers affect the part of the pharynx found behind your nose.Nasopharyngealcancerpresents with some different symptoms, including chronic congestion, hearing and vision changes, and headaches.
What Is the Epstein Barr Virus?The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a common virus that affects nearly everyone and stays in your system forever. EBV may be best known for its link tochronic fatigue syndrome, but scientific advances are demonstrating the role that it may play in the development of certain cancers, including most nasopharyngeal cancers and some gastric (stomach) cancers.
What Is the Epstein Barr Virus?
The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a common virus that affects nearly everyone and stays in your system forever. EBV may be best known for its link tochronic fatigue syndrome, but scientific advances are demonstrating the role that it may play in the development of certain cancers, including most nasopharyngeal cancers and some gastric (stomach) cancers.
Risk factors for head and neck cancer vary among the different types, but tobacco and alcohol use are among the most significant risks.
Other risk factors for head and neck cancer include:
Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays through the sun or tanning beds is commonly associated with skin cancers, but it also is linked to cancer of the lips, considered an oral cancer too.
HPV
In recent years, HPV has increasingly been linked to cancers of the mouth and head, especially cancers of the oropharynx. Some HPV-linked cancers are on the rise, especially in young people and those who never used tobacco.
However, many people are not aware that HPV is a risk factor. A 2021 survey of more than 1,000 people in Poland found the majority knew that smoking was a risk factor, but only about a third of them correctly identified HPV and alcohol use as risk factors too.
How head and neck cancer is diagnosed depends on what type of cancer is suspected. Lab tests, imaging tests, biopsies, and endoscopies are all methods of diagnosing many types of cancer.
Some of the more common imaging tests used to diagnose head and neck cancers include the PET-CT imaging tests. That means apositron emission tomography (PET) scanand acomputerized tomography (CT) scanare done at the same time.
The CT scan also may be done alone. Both the CT scan andmagnetic resonance imaging (MRI)can offer more detailed views than X-rays do to identify head and neck tumors and their spread.
Abiopsy, or tissue sample of a suspected tumor, may be removed to confirm a diagnosis. A pathologist reviews the cells under a microscope in order to identify a cancer and its type.
Once cancer is confirmed, the cancer stage is then determined and a treatment plan is created.
What Does Cancer Look Like?
Treatment for head and neck cancer depends on the type of cancer, how far the cancer’s growth has advanced, and other general health factors.
Common methods of treating head and neck cancer include:
Keep in mind that a personalized treatment plan will be tailored to the type of head and neck cancer you have. Radiation is likely to be used in nearly all cases of head and neck cancer, regardless of the specific type and cause.
Chemotherapy given in conjunction with radiation is standard treatment for more advanced cancers. Surgery is often indicated, although that may not be the case for later-stage cancers that occur in people who, for age or underlying health reasons, may not tolerate a procedure well.
Immunotherapy Drugs: A Treatment OptionKeytruda (pembrolizumab) is an immunotherapy drug approved for use in some cases of recurring or metastatic head and neck cancer. However, researchers warn that more study is needed to understand how these drugs work alongside other treatments and the optimal ways to use them.
Immunotherapy Drugs: A Treatment Option
Keytruda (pembrolizumab) is an immunotherapy drug approved for use in some cases of recurring or metastatic head and neck cancer. However, researchers warn that more study is needed to understand how these drugs work alongside other treatments and the optimal ways to use them.
Immunotherapy for Cancer
Many studies suggest a link between HPV infection and some types of head and neck cancer.HPV is most commonly known for causing cervical cancer in women, but there is mounting evidence of its role in other types of cancer.
For example, HPV is thought to cause 70% of oropharyngeal cancers in the United States.It is also associated with some types of nasopharyngeal cancer. Limiting exposure to HPV may decrease the risk of head and neck cancer, and anHPV vaccineis one way to do that. So is using a barrier method of contraception when participating in oral sex.
Tobacco and alcohol use have long been associated with head and neck cancers, and that’s a good reason to avoid them. In fact, the risk is greater for people who both drinkanduse tobacco products.
Poor oral hygiene may also be related to head and neck cancer. Dentures that cause irritation due to improper fit, along with any untreated cavities, may increase your risk of oral cancer.
12 Common Teeth Problems
Summary
There are several different kinds of head and neck cancer, including cancers associated with HPV. The symptoms and treatment depend on the cancer and, among other things, how far it has advanced. Prevention, too, depends on the type of cancer and the specific risk factors for it.
A Word From Verywell
Some of the symptoms linked with head and neck cancers are pretty general, and they could mean nothing more than a cold or an overdue trip to the dentist. But when these symptoms don’t go away, or they happen in a context that worries you, call your healthcare provider to discuss your concerns.
Above all, don’t hesitate to ask about how you can protect yourself from these cancers, especially any HPV-related cancers. Your doctor also can tell you if an HPV vaccine is a good choice for you.
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13 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Cancer Institute.Head and Neck Cancers.Sturgis E.Oropharyngeal cancer: Clinical implications of the HPV epidemic. Lecture presented at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.Suzuki S, Toyoma S, Abe T, et al.18F-FDG-PET/CT can be used to predict distant metastasis in hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2022 Apr 1;51(1):13. doi:10.1186/s40463-022-00568-8Abusalah MAH, Irekeola AA, Hanim Shueb R, Jarrar M, Yean Yean C.Prognostic Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) miRNA biomarkers for survival outcome in EBV-associated epithelial malignancies: Systematic review and meta-analysis.PLoS One. 2022;17(4):e0266893. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0266893Smatti MK, Al-Sadeq DW, Ali NH, Pintus G, Abou-Saleh H, Nasrallah GK.Epstein–Barr virus epidemiology, serology, and genetic variability of lmp-1 oncogene among healthy population: an update.Front Oncol. 2018;8:211. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2018.00211Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Head and Neck Cancers.Kobayashi K, Hisamatsu K, Suzui N, Hara A, Tomita H, Miyazaki T.A Review of HPV-Related Head and Neck Cancer.J Clin Med. 2018;7(9):241. doi:10.3390/jcm7090241Pinkas W, Jankowski M, Wierzba W.Awareness of head and neck cancers: A 2021 nationwide cross-sectional survey in Poland.J Clin Med. 2022 Jan 21;11(3):538. doi:10.3390/jcm11030538Corry J, Ng WT, Ma SJ, Singh AK, de Graeff P, Oosting SF.Disadvantaged subgroups within the global head and neck cancer population: How can we optimize care?Am Soc Clin Oncol Educ Book. 2022 Apr;42:1-10. doi: 10.1200/EDBK_359482Doescher J, von Witzleben A, Boukas K, Weissinger S, Thomas G, Laan S, et al.Changes in gene expression patterns in the tumor microenvironment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma under chemoradiotherapy depend on response.Front Oncol. 2022;12:862694. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2022.862694Mei Z, Huang J, Qiao B. Lam AK.Immune checkpoint pathways in immunotherapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.Int J Oral Sci.2020;1:16. doi:10.1038/s41368-020-0084-8Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.HPV and Oropharyngeal Cancer.Oji C, Chukwuneke F.Poor oral hygiene may be the sole cause of oral cancer.J Maxillofac Oral Surg. 2012;11(4):379–383. doi:10.1007/s12663-012-0359-5
13 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Cancer Institute.Head and Neck Cancers.Sturgis E.Oropharyngeal cancer: Clinical implications of the HPV epidemic. Lecture presented at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.Suzuki S, Toyoma S, Abe T, et al.18F-FDG-PET/CT can be used to predict distant metastasis in hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2022 Apr 1;51(1):13. doi:10.1186/s40463-022-00568-8Abusalah MAH, Irekeola AA, Hanim Shueb R, Jarrar M, Yean Yean C.Prognostic Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) miRNA biomarkers for survival outcome in EBV-associated epithelial malignancies: Systematic review and meta-analysis.PLoS One. 2022;17(4):e0266893. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0266893Smatti MK, Al-Sadeq DW, Ali NH, Pintus G, Abou-Saleh H, Nasrallah GK.Epstein–Barr virus epidemiology, serology, and genetic variability of lmp-1 oncogene among healthy population: an update.Front Oncol. 2018;8:211. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2018.00211Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Head and Neck Cancers.Kobayashi K, Hisamatsu K, Suzui N, Hara A, Tomita H, Miyazaki T.A Review of HPV-Related Head and Neck Cancer.J Clin Med. 2018;7(9):241. doi:10.3390/jcm7090241Pinkas W, Jankowski M, Wierzba W.Awareness of head and neck cancers: A 2021 nationwide cross-sectional survey in Poland.J Clin Med. 2022 Jan 21;11(3):538. doi:10.3390/jcm11030538Corry J, Ng WT, Ma SJ, Singh AK, de Graeff P, Oosting SF.Disadvantaged subgroups within the global head and neck cancer population: How can we optimize care?Am Soc Clin Oncol Educ Book. 2022 Apr;42:1-10. doi: 10.1200/EDBK_359482Doescher J, von Witzleben A, Boukas K, Weissinger S, Thomas G, Laan S, et al.Changes in gene expression patterns in the tumor microenvironment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma under chemoradiotherapy depend on response.Front Oncol. 2022;12:862694. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2022.862694Mei Z, Huang J, Qiao B. Lam AK.Immune checkpoint pathways in immunotherapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.Int J Oral Sci.2020;1:16. doi:10.1038/s41368-020-0084-8Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.HPV and Oropharyngeal Cancer.Oji C, Chukwuneke F.Poor oral hygiene may be the sole cause of oral cancer.J Maxillofac Oral Surg. 2012;11(4):379–383. doi:10.1007/s12663-012-0359-5
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Cancer Institute.Head and Neck Cancers.Sturgis E.Oropharyngeal cancer: Clinical implications of the HPV epidemic. Lecture presented at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.Suzuki S, Toyoma S, Abe T, et al.18F-FDG-PET/CT can be used to predict distant metastasis in hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2022 Apr 1;51(1):13. doi:10.1186/s40463-022-00568-8Abusalah MAH, Irekeola AA, Hanim Shueb R, Jarrar M, Yean Yean C.Prognostic Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) miRNA biomarkers for survival outcome in EBV-associated epithelial malignancies: Systematic review and meta-analysis.PLoS One. 2022;17(4):e0266893. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0266893Smatti MK, Al-Sadeq DW, Ali NH, Pintus G, Abou-Saleh H, Nasrallah GK.Epstein–Barr virus epidemiology, serology, and genetic variability of lmp-1 oncogene among healthy population: an update.Front Oncol. 2018;8:211. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2018.00211Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Head and Neck Cancers.Kobayashi K, Hisamatsu K, Suzui N, Hara A, Tomita H, Miyazaki T.A Review of HPV-Related Head and Neck Cancer.J Clin Med. 2018;7(9):241. doi:10.3390/jcm7090241Pinkas W, Jankowski M, Wierzba W.Awareness of head and neck cancers: A 2021 nationwide cross-sectional survey in Poland.J Clin Med. 2022 Jan 21;11(3):538. doi:10.3390/jcm11030538Corry J, Ng WT, Ma SJ, Singh AK, de Graeff P, Oosting SF.Disadvantaged subgroups within the global head and neck cancer population: How can we optimize care?Am Soc Clin Oncol Educ Book. 2022 Apr;42:1-10. doi: 10.1200/EDBK_359482Doescher J, von Witzleben A, Boukas K, Weissinger S, Thomas G, Laan S, et al.Changes in gene expression patterns in the tumor microenvironment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma under chemoradiotherapy depend on response.Front Oncol. 2022;12:862694. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2022.862694Mei Z, Huang J, Qiao B. Lam AK.Immune checkpoint pathways in immunotherapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.Int J Oral Sci.2020;1:16. doi:10.1038/s41368-020-0084-8Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.HPV and Oropharyngeal Cancer.Oji C, Chukwuneke F.Poor oral hygiene may be the sole cause of oral cancer.J Maxillofac Oral Surg. 2012;11(4):379–383. doi:10.1007/s12663-012-0359-5
National Cancer Institute.Head and Neck Cancers.
Sturgis E.Oropharyngeal cancer: Clinical implications of the HPV epidemic. Lecture presented at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Suzuki S, Toyoma S, Abe T, et al.18F-FDG-PET/CT can be used to predict distant metastasis in hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2022 Apr 1;51(1):13. doi:10.1186/s40463-022-00568-8
Abusalah MAH, Irekeola AA, Hanim Shueb R, Jarrar M, Yean Yean C.Prognostic Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) miRNA biomarkers for survival outcome in EBV-associated epithelial malignancies: Systematic review and meta-analysis.PLoS One. 2022;17(4):e0266893. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0266893
Smatti MK, Al-Sadeq DW, Ali NH, Pintus G, Abou-Saleh H, Nasrallah GK.Epstein–Barr virus epidemiology, serology, and genetic variability of lmp-1 oncogene among healthy population: an update.Front Oncol. 2018;8:211. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2018.00211
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Head and Neck Cancers.
Kobayashi K, Hisamatsu K, Suzui N, Hara A, Tomita H, Miyazaki T.A Review of HPV-Related Head and Neck Cancer.J Clin Med. 2018;7(9):241. doi:10.3390/jcm7090241
Pinkas W, Jankowski M, Wierzba W.Awareness of head and neck cancers: A 2021 nationwide cross-sectional survey in Poland.J Clin Med. 2022 Jan 21;11(3):538. doi:10.3390/jcm11030538
Corry J, Ng WT, Ma SJ, Singh AK, de Graeff P, Oosting SF.Disadvantaged subgroups within the global head and neck cancer population: How can we optimize care?Am Soc Clin Oncol Educ Book. 2022 Apr;42:1-10. doi: 10.1200/EDBK_359482
Doescher J, von Witzleben A, Boukas K, Weissinger S, Thomas G, Laan S, et al.Changes in gene expression patterns in the tumor microenvironment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma under chemoradiotherapy depend on response.Front Oncol. 2022;12:862694. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2022.862694
Mei Z, Huang J, Qiao B. Lam AK.Immune checkpoint pathways in immunotherapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.Int J Oral Sci.2020;1:16. doi:10.1038/s41368-020-0084-8
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.HPV and Oropharyngeal Cancer.
Oji C, Chukwuneke F.Poor oral hygiene may be the sole cause of oral cancer.J Maxillofac Oral Surg. 2012;11(4):379–383. doi:10.1007/s12663-012-0359-5
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