This page was reviewed under our medical and editorial policy by Maurie Markman, MD, President, Medicine & Science
This page was updated on July 20, 2022.
Head and neck cancers, including mouth cancers, account for about 4 percent of all cancers in the United States, according to the National Cancer Institute. An estimated 66,920 people are expected to be diagnosed with head and neck cancer in 2023. Fortunately, the number of people with head and neck cancer and the mortality associated with the disease have been decreasing over the past 20 years.
Head and neck cancer is a term used to define cancer that develops in the mouth, throat, nose, salivary glands, oral cancers or other areas of the head and neck. Most of these cancers are squamous cell carcinomas, or cancers that begin in the lining of the mouth, nose and throat.
Because of their location, head and neck tumors and treatment-related side effects may impair patients’ ability to eat, swallow and breathe. At City of Hope, our multidisciplinary care team of head and neck cancer experts works with patients to help them make informed decisions about their treatment options, while also offering therapies to manage potential side effects.
This overview will cover the basic facts about head and neck cancer, including:
If you believe you may be experiencing symptoms of head and neck cancer and want to schedule an appointment for diagnostic testing, or if you’re interested in a second opinion on your head and neck cancer diagnosis, call us or chat online with a member of our team.
Smoking presents the greatest risk for developing head and neck cancer. Secondhand smoke also may increase the risk. Chewing tobacco has been linked to oral cavity cancer.
About 85 percent of head and neck cancer diagnoses are connected to tobacco use. The combined use of tobacco and alcohol accounts for at least 75 percent of head and neck cancers.
People infected with the human papillomavirus (HPV) are at higher risk for some throat and mouth cancers. HPV has been on the rise in recent years, especially among people in their 40s and 50s.
Besides HPV infection and tobacco and alcohol use, risk factors for head and neck cancer may include:
Men are two to three times more likely than women to develop head and neck cancer. These cancers are more common in people over the age of 50.
"I met with my care team to evaluate my specific cancer and discuss treatment. Everyone was so warm, and made us feel safe and at peace. There is simply a wonderful atmosphere of togetherness at the hospital, and I knew it was where I wanted to go for treatment. Later, I learned that is one of the guiding principles of City of Hope—to treat patients as you would any member of your own family."
Most head and neck cancers are squamous cell carcinomas, forming in the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose and throat. These squamous cell cancers can spread to other parts of the body, including the lymph nodes and lungs.
Types of head and neck cancer include:
Symptoms of head and neck cancer depend on the area where the cancer develops and how it spreads.
For example, tumors in the larynx or pharynx may appear as a lump in the throat. Cancer cells in the mouth may cause sores in the mouth or swelling of the jaw.
Some common symptoms for cancers of the head and neck include:
Other symptoms are similar to those for less serious conditions, such as the common cold. Changes in voice, headaches, sore throat or a cough may be symptoms of throat cancer. Pain or ringing in the ears may also accompany certain head and neck cancers.
The cancer experts at City of Hope use the following tools and procedures to arrive at a head and neck cancer diagnosis:
Learn more about diagnostic procedures and staging head and neck cancer.
At City of Hope, we target head and neck tumors with a range of evidence-based treatments, such as radiation therapy, surgery and chemotherapy, as well as immunotherapy and targeted therapy. Your multidisciplinary team of head and neck cancer experts will answer your questions and recommend treatment options based on your unique diagnosis and needs.
Treatment options for patients with this type of cancer include:
At City of Hope, we understand how head and neck cancers and their treatments can impact patients’ quality of life, sometimes in debilitating ways. The two most common treatment-related side effects for head and neck cancer, for example, are changes in voice and difficulty swallowing. Voice changes are typically caused by surgery to remove the vocal cords. Radiation therapy may also cause hoarseness. Trouble swallowing (dysphagia) may range from chronic dry mouth to an inability to swallow anything, including saliva.
That’s why each head and neck cancer patient has access to personalized supportive care therapies as part of his or her treatment plan. A speech therapist may help patients restore the patient’s ability to speak clearly, while also recommending exercises and other techniques to help manage difficulty swallowing, for example. A pain management physician, meanwhile, can help patients with both prescription narcotics and non-pharmaceutical strategies like nerve blockers and pain pumps to help them find relief.
Throat cancer patients who undergo extensive surgery to remove their tumors also have a reconstructive plastic surgeon on their care team who can help them rebuild their features and restore function. Some may undergo microvascular reconstruction surgery, where tissue from the abdomen, forearm or thigh may be used to reconstruct the nose, tongue or throat. And with 3D modeling, surgeons can map out a craniofacial repair by trying out patient-specific jaw positions with precise anatomical cutting guides. Others may undergo free flap surgery, a precise technique in the field of microvascular surgery that transplants tissue from one area to another by reconnecting tiny blood vessels less than four millimeters in diameter, with a suture thinner than a hair.
Patients who undergo a laryngectomy to remove the larynx (or voice box) may opt for a tracheoesophageal puncture, or TEP, which involves a head and neck surgeon placing a small, one-way valve between the trachea and the esophagus, allowing air to reach the lungs while blocking food, saliva and liquids. The valve also produces a vibration that the patient may use for voicing.
At City of Hope, treating cancer is about more than treating the disease. It requires a holistic, personalized approach to treating the whole patient.
Supportive care therapies that may be recommended to help head and neck patients stay strong and maintain their quality of life include:
