What are Cancers of the Head and Neck?
Head and neck cancers primarily consist of squamous cell carcinomas, which develop in the mucosal linings of the mouth, nose, and throat. Salivary gland cancers, though less common, are a diverse group of malignancies. Salivary glands contain many different types of cells that can become cancerous, so there are many different types of salivary gland cancer. Both categories are further classified by their precise location within the head and neck. These areas are described below and labeled in the image of the head and neck cancer regions.
Cancers of the head and neck are further categorized by the area of the head or neck in which they begin. These areas are described below and labeled in the image of head and neck cancer regions.
PLEASE NOTE: Cancers of the brain, eye, esophagus, and thyroid gland, as well as those of the scalp, skin, muscles, and bones of the head and neck, are not classified as head and neck cancers.
What Areas can be Affected?
- Oral cavity: Includes the lips, the front two-thirds of the tongue, the gums, the lining inside the cheeks and lips, the floor (bottom) of the mouth under the tongue, the hard palate (bony top of the mouth), and the small area of the gum behind the wisdom teeth.
- Pharynx: The pharynx (throat) is a hollow tube about 5 inches long that starts behind the nose and leads to the esophagus. It has three parts: the nasopharynx (the upper part of the pharynx, behind the nose); the oropharynx (the middle part of the pharynx, including the soft palate [the back of the mouth], the base of the tongue, and the tonsils); the hypopharynx (the lower part of the pharynx).
- Larynx: The larynx, also called the voicebox, is a short passageway formed by cartilage just below the pharynx in the neck. The larynx contains the vocal cords. It also has a small piece of tissue, called the epiglottis, which moves to cover the larynx to prevent food from entering the air passages.
- Paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity: The paranasal sinuses are small hollow spaces in the bones of the head surrounding the nose. The nasal cavity is the hollow space inside the nose.
- Salivary glands: The salivary glands produce saliva. The major salivary glands are in front of the ear and in the cheek (parotid), below the jaw (submandibular) and below the tongue (sublingual). However, there are also approximately 600 to 1000 microscopic minor salivary glands along the entire upper aero digestive tract, including the lips, cheeks, tongue, palate, floor of the mouth, nasopharynx, and larynx.
- Sometimes, cancerous squamous cells can be found in the lymph nodes of the upper neck when there is no evidence of cancer in other parts of the head and neck. When this happens, the cancer is called metastatic squamous neck cancer with unknown (occult) primary. Such cancers are most commonly from the oropharynx but can be from any area. A thorough evaluation is required to locate the primary cancer.
How are Head and Neck Cancers Treated?
The treatment plan for an individual patient depends on a number of factors, including the exact location of the tumor, the stage of the cancer, and the person’s age and general health. Treatment for head and neck cancer can include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or a combination of treatments.
People who are diagnosed with HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer may be treated differently than people with oropharyngeal cancers that are HPV-negative. Recent research has shown that patients with HPV-positive oropharyngeal tumors have a better prognosis and may do just as well on less intense treatment. An ongoing clinical trial is investigating this question.
The patient and the doctor should consider treatment options carefully. They should discuss each type of treatment and how it might change the way the patient looks, talks, eats, or breathes.
More information about treatment for specific types of head and neck cancers can be found here:
