Head & Neck Cancer

Comprehensive Care

Cancers of the head and neck include cancers that start in several places in the head and throat, not including brain cancers or cancers of the eye. These cancers can start in the sinuses (the spaces around the nose on the inside of the skull), inside and behind the nose, in the mouth, including the tongue, the gums, and the roof of the mouth, in the back of the mouth and the throat (pharynx), which includes three sections called the nasopharynx, oropharynx, and hypopharynx. These cancers can also be in the larynx (voice box), on the lips, although cancer on the lips is a type of skin cancer, in the glands that make saliva for the mouth, but those are relatively rare.

To lower your risk for head and neck cancers, don’t use tobacco products, limit the amount of alcohol you drink, avoid indoor tanning and talk to your doctor about HPV vaccination.

People with head and neck cancer often experience the following symptoms or signs. Sometimes, people with head and neck cancer do not show any of these symptoms. Or, these symptoms may be caused by a medical condition that is not cancer.

• Swelling or sore that does not heal in the mouth or lips
• Red or white patches in the mouth
• Lump, bump or mass in the head or neck area, with or without pain
• Persistent sore throat
• Foul mouth odor not explained by hygiene
• Hoarseness or change in voice
• Nasal obstruction or persistent nasal congestion
• Frequent nose bleeds and/or unusual nasal discharge
• Difficulty breathing
• Double vision
• Numbness or weakness of a body part in the head and neck region
• Pain or difficulty chewing, swallowing or moving the jaws or tongue
• Ear and/or jaw pain
• Blood in the saliva or phlegm, which is mucus discharged in mouth from respiratory passages
• Loosening of teeth
• Dentures that no longer fit
• Unexplained weight loss
• Fatigue

If you are concerned about one or more of the symptoms or signs on this list, please talk with your doctor. FirstHealth offers ear, nose and throat surgery,  chemotherapy, radiation therapy, intensity-modulated radiation therapy, image-guided radiation therapy, biologic therapy and support for patients with head and neck cancer.