Head and neck cancer can originate in the nasal cavity, voice box, mouth, throat, or larynx and is often associated with lifestyle risk factors. Early detection is key to successful treatment. Oral cancer can spread rapidly, while throat cancer can be classified into three types. Laryngeal cancer is strongly linked to smoking. Tracheal cancer is considered lung cancer.
Head and neck cancer is any cancer that arises in the head or neck region, including the nasal cavity and voice box, as well as the mouth and throat. Head and neck cancers are sometimes called the silent killers because they often go undetected until the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes in the neck. If caught early, most head and neck cancers are highly treatable with surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy. These types of cancer are usually associated with environmental or lifestyle risk factors, such as smoking or exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light. These tumors are classified according to their origin in the head or neck region, such as the mouth, throat or larynx.
Oral cancer is head and neck cancer that originates in the mouth. It typically begins as a small lesion in the oral cavity and spreads rapidly, reaching the nasal cavity or sinus region. Under the category of oral cancer, there are different types of cancer. Adenocarcinoma is found in the salivary glands, while lymphoma occurs in the lymphatic tissues. Most oral cancer is squamous cell carcinoma on the lips or the tissues lining the mouth, similar to skin cancer.
Head and neck cancer that occurs in the throat can be classified into three types. Nasopharyngeal cancer occurs where the nasal passages and upper throat connect. Oropharyngeal cancer occurs in the middle of the throat where the base of the tongue and tonsils are located. Hypopharyngeal cancer occurs in the lower part of the throat, near the area where the piriform sinuses are located, and tends to be diagnosed in the later stages of cancer. This is why hypopharyngeal cancers have the worst survival rate of any throat cancer.
Laryngeal cancer is head and neck cancer that starts in the larynx. Glottic cancer occurs on the actual vocal cords. Supraglottic cancer occurs in the tissue just above the vocal folds, while subglottic cancer occurs in the tissue below the vocal folds. Laryngeal cancer has been strongly linked to smoking. Most cancers of the larynx are cancers of the glottis, with supraglottic tumors the next common type and subglottic cancer the rarest.
The trachea is the airway through which air passes through the human body. Cancer in the windpipe is not necessarily head and throat cancer. While it may be classified as such because its biology is so similar to other head and neck cancers, tracheal cancer is actually considered lung cancer.
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