Head and Neck Cancer Treatment
Understanding Head and Neck Cancers:
What You Need to Know
When doctors talk about “head and neck cancers,” they’re referring to a group of cancers that start in and around your head and neck area. This includes places like your mouth, throat, voice box, sinuses (behind your nose), and even the glands that make spit (salivary glands).
Think of it this way: Your head and neck are busy areas, full of important parts that help you breathe, talk, eat, and see. Head and neck cancers begin when healthy cells in these areas start to grow out of control, forming a lump or tumor. If these lumps are cancerous, they can spread if not treated.
Why are Head and Neck Cancers Important to Understand?
- Many Different Types: Because there are so many different parts in your head and neck, there are many different types of head and neck cancer. Some of the common ones include:
- Oral Cavity Cancer: Cancers of the lips, tongue, gums, inside of the cheeks, and roof of the mouth.
- Pharyngeal Cancer: Cancers of the throat (the tube behind your nose and mouth).
- Laryngeal Cancer: Cancers of the voice box (larynx).
- Salivary Gland Cancer: Cancers of the glands that make saliva (spit).
- Nasal Cavity and Paranasal Sinus Cancer: Cancers inside your nose or in the hollow spaces around your nose.
- Affects Important Functions: Because these cancers are in such key areas, they can sometimes affect your ability to speak, swallow, or even breathe normally.
- Often Linked to Lifestyle: Many head and neck cancers are strongly connected to certain habits, which means you have some control over reducing your risk.
What Are Some Things That Can Increase My Risk?
The biggest risk factors for most head and neck cancers are:
- Tobacco Use: Smoking cigarettes, cigars, or pipes, and using smokeless tobacco (like chewing tobacco or snuff) are major causes.
- Alcohol Use: Heavy and regular alcohol consumption, especially when combined with tobacco use, significantly increases risk.
- Human Papillomavirus (HPV): Certain types of HPV, a common virus, can cause some head and neck cancers, particularly in the back of the throat (oropharynx).
- Sun Exposure: For lip cancer, too much sun can be a risk.
- Poor Oral Hygiene: Some studies suggest a link between very poor mouth hygiene and increased risk.
What Symptoms Should I Watch For?
Symptoms can depend on where the cancer is located, but here are some common warning signs that should prompt a visit to your doctor, especially if they don’t go away after a couple of weeks:
- A sore in your mouth or throat that doesn’t heal.
- A lump or thickening in your neck or mouth.
- Persistent sore throat.
- Hoarseness or a change in your voice.
- Difficulty or pain when swallowing.
- Nosebleeds or unusual discharge from the nose.
- Ear pain or ringing in the ears.
- Numbness or weakness in your face.
- Unexplained weight loss.
The Good News: Early Detection Matters!
When head and neck cancers are found early, treatment is often much more successful, and it can help preserve important functions like speaking and swallowing. If you have any of the symptoms mentioned above, or if you have risk factors like smoking or heavy drinking, it’s very important to talk to your doctor. They can examine you and help figure out what’s going on.
Remember: Taking care of your health includes being aware of your body and speaking up about any new or concerning changes.
Treatment Options
Head and neck cancer is treated differently depending on the site involved and the extent of the disease.
- Surgery – Surgery typically involves removal of the tumor and may involve removal of part or the entire site of disease. It may also involve removal of some of the lymph nodes in your neck.
- Radiation – Radiation may be used alone or in combination with chemotherapy. It can also be used before or after surgery. At Cancer Care of Western New York, we are committed to providing the latest in radiation treatment technology. For example, we have more experience with RapidArc Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) than any other facility in the area. We believe that having state-of-the-art equipment makes a real difference in the quality of care we provide to all of our patients, especially since these sophisticated IMRT techniques can help spare your head and neck from unnecessary radiation exposure. These external beam radiation treatments are fast, safe, and do not make you radioactive?it is fine for family members and friends to be around you.
We highly recommend that you quit smoking before you start radiation therapy, as radiation for head and neck cancers has been shown to be more effective in patients who do not smoke. - Chemotherapy – Chemotherapy may be used along with radiation.
Contact Cancer Care of Western New York
If you have additional questions and need to schedule an exam, contact our care center today.