Cancers of this kind can develop in the following areas:
- Oral cavity
- The pharynx and the throat
- The voice box or the larynx
- Nasal cavity and sinus area
- Salivary glands located in the mouth.
- Tongue and the tonsils.
What are the major symptoms of head and neck cancer?
The following are the most prominent symptoms:
- A sore in mouth that is not healing: It may appear initially as simple ulcers but will not heal with standard treatment. Consult your doctor if it doesn't show signs or healing in 1-2 weeks
- A white or reddish patch inside the mouth: These are early changes in the formation of cancer. Tobacco use should be immediately stopped and action to be taken promptly.
- Swelling inside the mouth or neck: It can be because of infection and subsides with antibiotics or tooth treatment. But if it doesn't reduce then suspension of cancer starts. From mouth, cancer first spreads to Neck.
- Difficulty in swallowing: If there is an ulcer or swelling in the throat, swallowing of food becomes difficult.
- There are few more nonspecific symptoms as well like mouth pain, ear pain, loosening of teeth.
- Any of the symptoms occur, one can watch and try local measures but if it persists for 2-3 weeks, must show the doctor.
What are the major risk factors that lead to an increase in cancer?
Certain factors can raise your risk of inheriting or developing head and neck cancer:
- Tobacco usage and smoking: Tobacco and cigarettes both contain nicotine, a known carcinogen that causes DNA mutations and raises the risk of head and neck cancer.
- Excessive alcohol use also increases the risk of cancer of the mouth, larynx, and pharynx.
- Advancing age.
- Prolonged sun exposure can raise the risk of mouth and oral cancer.
- Human papillomavirus and Epstein Barr virus are two diseases or ailments that can raise the risk of cancer.
- Males are more likely to get malignancies than females.
How are cancers of the head and neck diagnosed?
Numerous procedures are involved in the diagnosis:
- The doctor begins with a physical examination to look for lumps in regions such as the gums, cheeks, and lips. The doctor will also examine your mouth, throat, tongue, and nasal cavity.
- A Biopsy- a procedure in which a tiny portion of tissue is taken and examined to determine whether or not it is malignant is done.
- To acquire a clear picture of the inside organs and better detection of the location of the malignancy, X-rays, and scans like MRI and CT are performed.
- An endoscopy is done in which a tiny tube known as an endoscope is introduced into the body through the nose, allowing the doctor to examine the inside of the body.
What are the different stages of head and neck cancer?
After determining where cancer started and the extent of the spread, the stages of head and neck cancer are identified. Identifying the proper stage of cancer helps in the development of a correct treatment strategy.
- Stage 0: When a person has stage 0 head and neck cancer, the cancer is only present in the area of the head or neck where it has started and there are no tumours in the surrounding tissue or lymph nodes.
- Stage 1: In stage 1 head and neck cancer, the tumour has grown to a size of 2 cm or less and there are no cancer cells detected nearby.
- Stage 2: When a malignancy is at stage two of head and neck cancer, it is slightly larger in size and still present in the site where it originated.
- Stage 3: The tumour is greater than 4 cm in the third stage of head and neck cancer, but the spread has not yet begun.
- Stage 4: The fourth stage head and neck cancer is the most advanced stage, with cancer spreading to surrounding organs such as the tongue, cheeks, lips, and lymph nodes.
What are the treatment options for head and neck cancer?
Several techniques may be used alone or in combination to effectively remove cancer cells.
- One of the major procedures is surgery, which includes the surgical removal of visible tumours and malignant cells.
- Chemotherapy can be done that employs powerful medicines to fully kill and reduce tumour cells.
- Radiation treatment is used, which involves the use of highly energetic radiation to destroy cancer cells.
- Immunotherapy involves stimulating the body's immune cells to combat cancer.
- Targeted treatments, in which particular proteins and genes are targeted to destroy cancer cells, have also been found to be beneficial in the treatment of head and neck cancer.
If not detected early and treated promptly, head n Neck cancers can be life threatening. It is critical to see a specialised oncologist, such as Dr Saphalta Baghmar. She is a top oncologist in Delhi NCR for the treatment of head and neck cancer. With years of experience in medical oncology and treating patients with cancers, Dr Saphalta will provide the best treatment for head and neck cancers.
FAQ'S
1. Who has the highest risk for oral, throat, or tongue cancer?
People who smoke or chew tobacco are at the highest risk of developing cancers of the oral cavity, throat, or tongue. Regular chewing of paan consisting of betel quids and areca nuts is also known to pose a significant risk for the disease. People who consume alcohol or get an oral human papillomavirus (HPV) infection are also more prone to oral cancer. Poor oral hygiene and other genetic and external factors can also expose you to the threat.
2. What are the risk factors for head and neck cancer?
The primary risk factors for head and neck cancer include smoking, chewing tobacco, alcohol abuse, and mutations. An oral infection of the human papillomavirus (HPV) and UV exposure are also major threats that can induce cancerous growth. Health conditions like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), weakened immune system, and others also play a role in this. Factors like your family history, genetic makeup, and external triggers can also put you at a higher risk of developing head and neck cancer.
3. Is head and neck cancer more common in males or females?
Head and neck cancer is more common among the male population. The current male–to–female ratio for the cancer of the oral cavity and the pharynx is 3:1. This means men are almost twice as likely as women when it comes to having this form of cancer. While there are anatomical differences among the two genders and the reason behind the pattern can be attributed to it, that’s not entirely the case. Recent years have seen an upsurge in the number of women with head and neck cancer as the number of female smokers has increased over the past few decades. Therefore, the prevalence of head and neck cancer among the male population could be simply due to a lifestyle preference.
