Below are small explanations of the types of cancer we deal with at the Head and Neck Cancer Center.
* If for any reason you show symptoms or signs or if you feel you may be at risk for developing one of these diseases, see your physician immediately. These small explanations are for education purposes and NOT FOR MEDICAL EVALUATION. Please remember, we cannot and will not give medical advice over the internet.
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larynx | lip and oral cavity | oropharynx | hypopharynx | nasopharynx | thyroid | salivary gland | paranasal sinus and nasal cavity | soft tissue sarcoma | squamous neck cancer |
What is cancer of the larynx?
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What is cancer of the lip and oral cavity?
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Cancers of the head and neck are most often found in people who are over the age of 45. Cancer of the lip is more common in men than in women, and is more likely to develop in people with light-colored skin who have been in the sun a lot. Cancer of the oral cavity is more common in people who chew tobacco or smoke pipes. A doctor should be seen if a person finds a lump in the lip, mouth, or gums, finds a sore in the mouth that doesn't heal, or has bleeding or pain in the mouth.
Another sign of a cancer of the mouth or gums is when dentures no longer fit well. Often lip and oral cavity cancers are found by dentists when examining the teeth.
If there are symptoms, a doctor will examine the mouth using a mirror and lights. The doctor may order x-rays of the mouth. If tissue that is not normal is found, the doctor will need to cut out a small piece and look at it under the microscope to see if there are any cancer cells. This is called a biopsy. The patient will be given a substance to take feeling away from the area for a short time (a local anesthetic) so no pain is felt. The doctor will also feel the throat for lumps.
The chance of recovery (prognosis) depends on where the cancer is in the lip or mouth, whether the cancer is just in the lip or mouth or has spread to other tissues (the stage), and the patient's general state of health.
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What is cancer of the oropharynx?
Cancer of the oropharynx is a disease in which cancer cells are found in the tissues of the oropharynx. The oropharynx is the middle part of the throat (also called the pharynx). The pharynx is a hollow tube about 5 inches long that starts behind the nose and goes down to the neck to become part of the esophagus (tube that goes to the stomach). Air and food pass through the pharynx on the way to the windpipe (trachea) or the esophagus.
The oropharynx includes the soft palate (the back of the mouth), the base of the tongue, and the tonsils. Cancer of the oropharynx most commonly starts in the cells that line the oropharynx. (Refer to the PDQ summaries on Adult Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Treatment and Childhood Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Treatment for more information on cancer that started in the lymph cells of the oropharynx.)
A doctor should be seen if a person has a sore throat that does not go away, trouble swallowing, a lump in the back of the mouth or throat, a change in the voice, or pain in the ear. If there are symptoms, a doctor will examine the throat using a mirror and lights. The doctor will also feel the throat for lumps. If tissue that is not normal is found, the doctor will need to cut out a small piece and look at it under the microscope to see if there are any cancer cells. This is called a biopsy.
The chance of recovery (prognosis) depends on where the cancer is in the throat, whether the cancer is just in the throat or has spread to other tissues (the stage), and the patient's general state of health. After the treatment, a doctor should be seen regularly because there is a chance of having a second cancer in the head or neck region.
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What is cancer of the hypopharynx?
Cancer of the hypopharynx is a disease in which cancer (malignant) cells are found in the tissues of the hypopharynx. The hypopharynx is the bottom part of the throat (also called the pharynx). The pharynx is a hollow tube about 5 inches long that starts behind the nose and goes down to the neck to become part of the esophagus, the tube that goes to the stomach.
Air and food pass through the pharynx on the way to the windpipe (trachea) or the esophagus. Cancer of the hypopharynx most commonly starts in the cells that line the hypopharynx, called squamous cells. (Refer to the PDQ summaries on Adult Non- Hodgkin's Lymphoma Treatment and Childhood Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Treatment for more information on cancer that started in the lymph cells of the hypopharynx.)
A doctor should be seen if a person has a sore throat that does not go away, trouble swallowing, a lump in the neck, a change in voice, or ear pain. If there are symptoms, a doctor will examine the throat using a mirror and lights. A thin lighted tube called an endoscope may be put down the throat so the doctor can see if there is tissue that is not normal. The doctor will also feel the throat for lumps. If tissue that is not normal is found, the doctor will need to cut out a small piece and look at it under the microscope to see if there are any cancer cells. This is called a biopsy.
The chance of recovery (prognosis) depends on where the cancer is in the throat, whether the cancer is just in the throat or has spread to other tissues (the stage), and the patient's general state of health.
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What is cancer of the nasopharynx?
Cancer of the nasopharynx is a disease in which cancer (malignant) cells are found in the tissues of the nasopharynx. The nasopharynx is behind the nose and is the upper part of the throat (also called the pharynx). The pharynx is a hollow tube about 5 inches long that starts behind the nose and goes down to the neck to become part of the esophagus (tube that goes to the stomach). Air and food pass through the pharynx on the way to the trachea (windpipe) or the esophagus. The nares, the holes in the nose through which people breathe, lead into the nasopharynx. Two openings on the side of the nasopharynx lead into the ear.
Cancer of the nasopharynx most commonly starts in the cells that line the oropharynx (the part of the throat behind the mouth). (Refer to the PDQ summaries on Adult Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Treatment and Childhood Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Treatment for more information on cancer that started in the lymph cells of the nasopharynx.)
A doctor should be seen if a person has trouble breathing or speaking, frequent headaches, a lump in the nose or neck, pain or ringing in the ear, or trouble hearing. If there are symptoms, the doctor will examine the throat using a mirror and lights. A special instrument (called a nasoscope) may be put into the nose to see into the nasopharynx.
The doctor will also feel the neck for lumps. If tissue that is not normal is found, the doctor will need to cut out a small piece and look at it under the microscope to see if there are any cancer cells. This is called a biopsy.
The chance of recovery (prognosis) depends on where the cancer is in the throat, whether the cancer is just in the throat or has spread to other tissues (the stage), and the patient's general state of health.
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What is cancer of the thyroid?
Cancer of the thyroid is a disease in which cancer (malignant) cells are found in the tissues of the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland is at the base of the throat. It has two lobes, one on the right side and one on the left. The thyroid gland makes important hormones that help the body function normally.
Cancer of the thyroid is more common in women than in men. Most patients are between 25 and 65 years old. People who have been exposed to large amounts of radiation, or who have had radiation treatment for medical problems in the head and neck have a higher chance of getting thyroid cancer. The cancer may not occur until 20 years or longer after radiation treatment.
A doctor should be seen if there is a lump or swelling in the front of the neck or in other parts of the neck. If there are symptoms, a doctor will feel the patient's thyroid and check for lumps in the neck. The doctor may order blood tests and special scans to see whether a lump in the thyroid is making too many hormones. The doctor may want to take a small amount of tissue from the thyroid. This is called a biopsy. To do this, a small needle is inserted into the thyroid at the base of the throat and some tissue is drawn out. The tissue is then looked at under a microscope to see whether it contains cancer.
There are four main types of cancer of the thyroid (based on how the cancer cells look under a microscope): papillary, follicular, medullary, and anaplastic. The chance of recovery (prognosis) depends on the type of thyroid cancer, whether it is just in the thyroid or has spread to other parts of the body (stage), and the patient's age and overall health. Some types of thyroid cancer grow much faster than others.
The genes in our cells carry the hereditary information from our parents. An abnormal gene has been found in patients with some forms of thyroid cancer. If medullary thyroid cancer is found, the patient may have been born with a certain abnormal gene which may have led to the cancer. Family members may have also inherited this abnormal gene. Tests have been developed to determine who has the genetic defect long before any cancer appears. It is important that the patient and his or her family members (children, grandchildren, parents, brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews) see a doctor about tests that will show if the abnormal gene is present. These tests are confidential and can help the doctor help patients.
Family members, including young children, who don't have cancer, but do have this abnormal gene, may reduce the chance of developing medullary thyroid cancer by having surgery to safely remove the thyroid gland (thyroidectomy).
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What is cancer of the salivary gland?
Cancer of the salivary gland is a disease in which cancer (malignant) cells are found in the tissues of the salivary glands. The salivary glands make saliva, the fluid that is released into the mouth to keep it moist and to help dissolve food.
Major clusters of salivary glands are found below the tongue, on the sides of the face just in front of the ears, and under the jawbone. Smaller clusters of salivary glands are found in other parts of the upper digestive tract. The smaller glands are called the minor salivary glands.
Many growths in the salivary glands do not spread to other tissues and are not cancer. These tumors are called "benign" tumors and are not usually treated the same as cancer.
A doctor should be seen if there is a swelling under the chin or around the jawbone, the face becomes numb, muscles in the face cannot move, or if there is pain that does not go away in the face, chin, or neck.
If there are symptoms, a doctor will examine the throat and neck using a mirror and lights. The doctor may order a special x-ray called a computed tomographic or CT scan, which uses a computer to make a picture of the inside of parts of the body. Another type of scan, called a magnetic resonance imaging or MRI scan, uses magnetic waves to make a picture of the head may also be ordered. If tissue that is not normal is found, the doctor will need to cut out a small piece and look at it under the microscope to see if there are any cancer cells. This is called a biopsy.
The chance of recovery (prognosis) depends on where the cancer is in the salivary glands, whether the cancer is just in the area where it started or has spread to other tissues (the stage), how the cancer cells look under a microscope (the grade), and the patient's general state of health.
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What is cancer of the paranasal sinus and nasal cavity?
Cancer of the paranasal sinus and nasal cavity is a disease in which cancer (malignant) cells are found in the tissues of the paranasal sinuses or nasal cavity. The paranasal sinuses are small hollow spaces around the nose. The sinuses are lined with cells that make mucus, which keeps the nose from drying out; the sinuses are also a space through which the voice can echo to make sounds when a person talks or sings. The nasal cavity is the passageway just behind the nose through which air passes on the way to the throat during breathing. The area inside the nose is called the nasal vestibule.
There are several paranasal sinuses, including the frontal sinuses above the nose, the maxillary sinuses in the upper part of either side of the upper jawbone, the ethmoid sinuses just behind either side of the upper nose, and the sphenoid sinus behind the ethmoid sinus in the center of the skull.
Cancer of the paranasal sinus and nasal cavity most commonly starts in the cells that line the oropharynx. Much less often, cancer of the paranasal sinus and nasal cavity starts in the color-making cells called melanocytes, and is called a melanoma. If the cancer starts in the muscle or connecting tissue, it is called a sarcoma. Another type of cancer that can occur here, but grows more slowly, is called an inverting papilloma. Cancers called midline granulomas may also occur in the paranasal sinuses or nasal cavity, and they cause the tissue around them to break down.
A doctor should be seen if the sinuses are blocked and don't clear, or if there is a sinus infection, bleeding through the nose, a lump or sore that doesn't heal inside the nose, frequent headaches or pain in the sinus region, swelling or other trouble with the eyes, pain in the upper teeth, or problems with dentures.
If there are symptoms, a doctor will examine the nose using a mirror and lights. The doctor may order a CT scan (a special x-ray that uses a computer) or an MRI scan (an x-ray-like procedure that uses magnetic energy) to make a picture of the inside of parts of the body. A special instrument (called a rhinoscope or a nasoscope) may be put into the nose to see inside. If tissue that is not normal is found, the doctor will need to cut out a small piece and look at it under the microscope to see if there are any cancer cells. This is called a biopsy. Sometimes the doctor will need to cut into the sinus to do a biopsy.
The chance of recovery (prognosis) depends on where the cancer is in the sinuses, whether the cancer is just in the area where it started or has spread to other tissues (the stage), and the patient's general state of health.
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What is soft tissue sarcoma?
Adult soft tissue sarcoma is a disease in which cancer (malignant) cells are found in the soft tissue of part of the body. The soft tissues of the body include the muscles, connective tissues (tendons), vessels that carry blood or lymph, joints, and fat.
A lump or swelling in part of the body may appear if a person has a soft tissue sarcoma. The lump may not be painful. If there are symptoms, a doctor may cut out a piece of tissue from the swollen area. This is called a biopsy. The tissue will be looked at under a microscope to see if there are any cancer cells. A patient may need to go to the hospital for this test.
The chance of recovery (prognosis) and choice of treatment depend on the size and stage of the cancer (how far the cancer has spread), and the patient's age and general health.
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What is metastatic squamous neck cancer with occult primary?
Cancer is a disease in which certain cells begin to divide too quickly and without any order.
Cancer can spread to tissues and organs near the place where it started (called the primary site). Cancer cells can also spread through the bloodstream and the lymph system to other parts of the body to form new tumors. Cancer that started in one place, but has spread to another part of the body is called metastatic cancer.
Squamous cells line the outside of many body organs, including the mouth, nose, skin, throat, and lungs. Cancer can begin in the squamous cells and spread (metastasize) from its original site to the lymph nodes in the neck or around the collarbone. Lymph nodes are small bean-shaped structures that are found throughout the body. They produce and store infection-fighting cells. When the lymph nodes in the neck are found to contain squamous cell cancer, a doctor will try to find out where the cancer started (the primary tumor). If the doctor cannot find a primary tumor, the cancer is called a metastatic cancer with unseen (occult) primary.
A doctor should be seen if there is a lump or pain in the neck or throat that doesn't go away. If tissue that is not normal is found, the doctor will need to cut out a small piece and look at it under the microscope to see if there are any cancer cells. This is called a biopsy. If the biopsy shows that a person has squamous cell cancer, the doctor will do many kinds of tests to see whether a primary site can be found. If the primary site cannot be found, the doctor will treat the cancer in the neck.
The chance of recovery (prognosis) depends on how many lymph nodes contain cancer, where the cancer is found in the neck, whether or not a primary tumor is found, and the patient's general state of health.
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