Head and neck cancer

Contents
What is it?	Staging
Symptoms	Treatment
Causes	Prognosis
Screening	Prevention
Diagnosis
Download PDF

What is head and neck cancer?

Head and neck cancers occur inside the sinuses, nose, mouth and salivary glands down through the throat. Although these cancers are different, they are treated similarly, so are considered as a group.

In 2015, 43697 head and neck cancers were diagnosed in Australia. These figures include cancers of the tongue, gum, mouth, salivary glands, tonsils, pharynx, nasal cavity and larynx, but not cancers of the lip.

In 2016, there were 1073 deaths in Australia due to head and neck cancers.

The five year survival rate is 70%.

Head and neck cancer symptoms

Symptoms depend on the site, however you may have one or more of the following symptoms:

pain
swelling
hoarse voice
difficulty swallowing
bad breath.

Causes of head and neck cancer

There are a number of risk factors associated with head and neck cancers. The main risk factors are alcohol consumption and tobacco. Risk factors include:

viruses including the human papillomavirus (HPV) and the Epstein-Barr virus have been linked to head and neck cancers
age - head and neck cancer is more common in people over 40 years old
sex - men are three times more likely than women in Australia to develop head and neck cancer
oral hygiene - poor oral health including gum disease have been linked to cancers of the oral cavity
exposure to work-related chemicals such as asbestos, dry-cleaning solvents or certain types of paint
low immunity
smoking tobacco
drinking alcohol
being from southern China or South-East Asia due to cultural practices such as chewing tobacco or eating salty foods
sun exposure

Top

Diagnosis for head and neck cancer

Diagnosis is by a biopsy obtained using an endoscope, needle or surgically.

Treatment for head and neck cancer

The definitive treatment for local disease is surgery to the primary lump and draining the lymph glands. Full dose radiotherapy may be used in sites where functions such as speech can be preserved. Radiotherapy can be given in sequence with chemotherapy (commonly cisplatin, 5 fluorouracil or the taxanes) for more advanced cancer and both can be used for symptom relief with widespread disease.

Staging

Based on the results of the tests, your doctor will tell you the stage of the cancer. The extent of the tumour is defined by the size of the lump and whether there is spread to lymph nodes or further to the lungs or bones. CT, MRI, bone and PET scans are used. Visual examination using an endoscope may be required.

Treatment team

If you are diagnosed with a head or neck cancer, your treatment team may consist of a number of health professionals including:

a GP who will arrange for initial tests and may refer to other specialists
an ear, nose and throat specialist
a head and neck surgeon
an oral surgeon who specialises in surgery to the face
a medical oncologist who coordinates chemotherapy
a radiation oncologist who coordinates radiotherapy
a dentist
a cancer nurse
other health professionals such as speech pathologist, occupational therapist, counsellor and dietitian.

Palliative care

In some cases of head and neck cancer, your medical team may talk to you about palliative care. Palliative care aims to improve your quality of life by alleviating symptoms of cancer.

As well as slowing the spread of head and neck cancer, palliative treatment can relieve pain and help manage other symptoms. Treatment may include radiotherapy, chemotherapy or other drug therapies.

Top

Screening for head and neck cancer

There is currently no screening for head and neck cancer available in Australia.

White plaques or patches in the mouth (leukoplakia) may precede the development of the cancer.

Prognosis for head and neck cancer

Prognosis means the expected outcome of a disease. An individual's prognosis depends on the type and stage of cancer, as well as their age and general health at the time of diagnosis.