Disclaimer: This is sponsored content. All opinions and views are of the advertiser and do not reflect the same of Fox 17.
April is Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month. Approximately, 54,000 people in the United States will be diagnosed with head or neck cancer this year.
Jenna Towns, a board-certified physician assistant, shares the signs and symptoms of these cancers, and how to seek care.
Head and neck cancers include cancer of the mouth, throat, voice box, salivary glands, sinuses, or muscles and nerves in the head and neck. They can form in any of the places:
- Oral Cavity- lips, front two-thirds of the tongue, gums, lining of the cheeks and lips, the bottom or top of the mouth, and the small area behind the wisdom teeth
- Throat or Pharynx
- Voice Box- vocal cords and epiglottis
- Paranasal Sinuses
- Nasal Cavity
- Salivary Glands
Head and neck cancers make up about 4 percent of all cancers in the U.S. They are twice as common in men than in women, and people are more often diagnosed over the age of 50.
Neck and head cancers are caused by:
- Alcohol and tobacco use – including secondhand smoke and smokeless tobacco or chewing tobacco are contributors.
- Using both alcohol and tobacco is a greater risk
- Human papillomavirus (HPV), especially HPV type 16, is a risk factor
- Using paan (betel quick) in the mouth
- Exposure to wood dust, asbestos, and certain synthetic fibers; exposure to formaldehyde; exposure to radiation to the head and neck; Epstein-Barr virus infection;
- Asian ancestry – particularly Chinese ancestry; and some underlying genetic disorders.
Symptoms of neck or head cancer include:
- White or red patch on the gums, tongue, or lining of the mouth.
- Swelling of the jaw
- Unusual bleeding or pain in the mouth
- Pain when swallowing that does not go away
- Pain or ringing in the ears
- Trouble hearing
- Trouble breathing or speaking
- Ear pain
- Sinuses that are blocked and do not clear
- Chronic sinus infections that do not respond to treatment with antibiotics
- Bleeding through the nose
- Frequent headaches
- Swelling under the chin or around the jawbone
- Numbness or paralysis of the muscles in the face
While there is no standard preventative screening, dentists can check the oral cavity for signs of cancer during a routine checkup. Otherwise, treatments include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, or a combination of treatments.
To learn more about symptoms and treatment options, visit spectrumhealth.org or cancer.gov.
