Head and neck cancers

Head and neck cancers are a group of cancers afflicting the organs present in the head and neck region. These majorly include cancers of the mouth, sinuses, jaws, tongue, gums, throat, voice box, lips and salivary glands.

The symptoms of head and neck cancers differ depending upon their type and stage. Common symptoms are listed below:

Mouth cancer symptoms – white or red sores on the gums and tongue, bleeding, swelling and pain in the mouth

Throat cancer symptoms – pain during swallowing, persistent pain in the throat, ringing in the ears

Voicebox cancer symptoms – difficulty in breathing and speaking, pain in the ears, pain during swallowing

Salivary gland cancer symptoms – Numbness in the face muscles, persistent pain in the chin, neck and face, swelling in the jawbone

Sinuses cancer symptoms – blocked sinuses, chronic sinus infection, nosebleeds, swelling in the eyes, pain in the upper teeth

Common causes of head and neck cancers include:

• Excessive alcohol or tobacco consumption
• Cancer-causing types of HPV
• Exposure to radiation
• Epstein-Barr virus infection
• Certain genetic disorders

The treatment protocol of head and neck cancer depends upon the type, stage and size of cancer (tumour) as well as your age, severity of symptoms and overall health. In most cases, more than one treatment option is used in combination for a better prognosis. Treatment alternatives include:

• Surgery
• Chemotherapy
• Radiation therapy
• Immunotherapy
• Targeted drug therapy