Head and Neck Cancers

Head and neck cancers are malignancies that arise in the nasal cavity, sinuses, lips, mouth, salivary glands, throat, or larynx. These cancers usually begin in the squamous cells that line the moist mucosal surfaces inside the head and neck such as in the mouth, nose, and throat.

Including cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx, the National Cancer Institute estimates that about 66,920 people in the United States will be diagnosed with head and neck cancer in 2023, and about 15,400 will die from these diseases. These cancers are nearly twice as common among men as they are among women.

Cancers of the head and neck are further categorized by the area of the head or neck in which they begin. Get more information on these various forms of head and neck cancers:

• Hypopharyngeal Cancer
• Laryngeal Cancer
• Lip and Oral Cavity Cancer
• Metastatic Squamous Neck Cancer with Occult Primary
• Nasopharyngeal Cancer
• Oropharyngeal Cancer
• Paranasal Sinus and Nasal Cavity Cancer
• Salivary Gland Cancer

Alcohol and tobacco use are the two most important risk factors for head and neck cancers. Moreover, infection with cancer-causing types of human papillomavirus (HPV) is a risk factor for some types of head and neck cancers.

Source: National Cancer Institute