April is Oral, Head and, Neck Cancer Month

The month of April brings oral, head, and neck cancer into focus, shinning a light on a potentially fatal disease.

Head and neck cancers originate in the throat, larynx (voice box), pharynx, salivary glands, or oral cavity (lip, mouth, tongue) in the squamous cells that line these moist surfaces. These cancers are often preceded by non-cancerous sores or leukoplakia (an unusual patch of white tissue that cannot be rubbed off). There are many different types of salivary gland cancer as the salivary glands contain many different types of cells that can become cancerous.

Squamous cell cancers of the head and neck are defined by the area of the head or neck where they originate:

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.
Oral cavity. 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 top of the mouth), and the small area of the gum behind the wisdom teeth.
The pharynx or 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).
The larynx, or voice box, 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.
Salivary glands. The major salivary glands are in the floor of the mouth and near the jawbone. The salivary glands produce saliva.

Cancers such as brain, eye, esophagus, and thyroid as well as those of the scalp, skin, muscles, and bones of the head and neck, are not classified as head and neck cancers as they do not originate in the same type of cell.

Diagnosis of head and neck cancers usually involves several tests to help determine the size and extent of spread from its site of origin. In addition to blood tests other tests may include:

An endoscope is a lighted tube, which is used to examine the throat, larynx, and upper esophagus. Endoscopy is performed to obtain a biopsy, determine the local extent of the cancer, and look for additional cancers.
involves the removal of a small sample of the suspected cancer. The samples are then examined under a microscope to determine if cancer is present.
Imaging Tests. Computed tomographic (CT) scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, positron emission tomography (PET) scans, ultrasound, and chest x-ray are used to further identify the extent of cancer at the primary location and extent to which it has spread to the lymph nodes.

Signs and symptoms of head and neck cancers include:

Voice change or hoarseness
Lump in the neck
Red or white lesions in the mouth or throat that do not heal
Sore throat or swollen tonsils for longer than two weeks
Earache
Difficulty or painful swallowing
Unintentional weight loss

April is Oral, Head and, Neck Cancer Month