What is head and neck cancer?

头颈癌是指从头部开始的癌症 and neck region. 这个区域有许多不同类型的组织. 这些癌症可以从以下任何一个地方开始:

• Voice box or larynx

• 鼻腔，鼻子后面空气通过的通道 it on its way to the throat during breathing

• Mouth or oral cavity

• 鼻窦，鼻子周围的空间，排列着细胞 分泌粘液，防止鼻子干燥. They are also a 当你说话或唱歌时，让你的声音回响的空间.

• Throat or pharynx

• 唾液腺，分泌唾液，保存食物的腺体 moist and helps dissolve food

Types of head and neck cancer

There are many types of head and neck cancer. Here's an overview of the types and which areas they affect:

• Cancer of the hypopharynx. 癌细胞存在于肿瘤底部的组织中 throat, behind the voice box.

• Cancer of the nasopharynx. 癌细胞存在于乳房上部的组织中 throat, behind the nose.

• Cancer of the oropharynx. 癌细胞是发现在背部的中间部分 throat.

• Cancer of the paranasal sinus and nasal cavity. 癌细胞存在于小空洞的组织中 鼻子周围，称为鼻窦和鼻腔. The nasal cavity is just behind the nose.

• Cancer of the salivary gland. Cancer cells are found in the salivary glands. These glands are 就在舌头下方，脸部两侧的前方 the ears, and under the jawbone. There are also salivary glands in different parts of the upper digestive tract.

• Cancer of the oral cavity. Cancer cells are found in the oral cavity. These areas include the lips, teeth, gums, the front two-thirds of the tongue, the inner lining of the lips and cheeks, the area underneath of the tongue, 上颚和智齿后面的小区域. 

• Cancer of the larynx. Cancer cells are found in the larynx. 大多数癌细胞可能始于粘膜表面，也称为鳞状细胞癌(SCC)。. 其他不太常见的形式是唾液腺癌或由肌肉引起的癌症, 软骨或其他结构性组织(肉瘤).

• Cancer of the skin. 癌细胞存在于皮肤表面形成的组织中.

• Melanoma of the head and neck. 黑色素瘤是一种由黑色素细胞引起的癌症，黑色素细胞赋予皮肤色素或颜色.
• Basal cell cancer of the head and neck. 基底细胞癌是一种由皮肤基底细胞异常引起的非黑色素瘤恶性肿瘤.
• Squamous cell cancer of the head and neck. It is a type of nonmelanoma malignancy. 它是第二常见的皮肤癌. 它更具侵袭性，可能需要广泛的手术，这取决于位置和神经受累.

• Sarcoma of the head and neck. 癌细胞存在于身体的软组织部位, which include the muscles, connective tissues (tendons), vessels that carry blood or lymph, joints, and fat.

• Head and neck cancer of unknown primary site. 这种类型的癌症通常表现为颈部肿块, 哪一种迹象表明癌症已经扩散到颈部的一个或几个淋巴结.

Risk and Screening

已知患头颈癌风险增加的个体有吸烟史, chewing tobacco or betel nut or drink alcohol. 许多头颈癌患者没有确定的危险因素. 在这个时候，我们没有一个很好的方法来确定谁会患上癌症. Therefore, 美国预防工作小组目前不建议进行头颈癌筛查.

头颈癌的危险因素包括:

• Cigarette smoking
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Chewing smokeless tobacco
• Betel nut

Additional risk factors include:

• Sun exposure
• Radiation
• 吸入石棉、木材或镍尘
• Poor oral hygiene

hpv相关头颈癌的危险因素包括:

• Sexual exposure to HPV
• Smoking marijuana

Symptoms

Common symptoms include:

• 颈部、面部或呼吸和吞咽通道出现新的肿块或肿块
• A sore that does not heal
• A sore throat that does not go away
• Difficulty swallowing
• A change in the voice
• New hoarseness
• 牙龈、舌头或口腔粘膜上的白色或红色斑块
• 下颌肿胀导致假牙不合适或不舒服
• 口腔、喉咙或鼻子不寻常的出血或疼痛
• 慢性鼻窦感染对抗生素治疗无效
• Numbness or paralysis of the facial muscles
• Ear pain

这些症状可能是由癌症或其他疾病引起的. 为了得到正确的诊断和治疗，接受医生的评估是很重要的.

Diagnosis

头颈部癌症是通过临床检查诊断的, imaging tests and other specialized tests.

如果你被怀疑患有头颈癌, 你会在几天内去看头颈癌专家进行评估. Once you have received your test results, 头颈癌小组将制定一个适当的和高度个性化的治疗计划.

Tumor Staging

癌症开始的地方被称为 primary site. 癌症可以从原发部位(转移)扩散到身体的其他部位. 不管癌症可能扩散到哪里，它总是以它开始的地方命名. 例如，扩散到肝脏的乳腺癌仍被称为乳腺癌.

不同类型的癌症表现非常不同. 它们可以以不同的速度生长，并对不同的处理作出反应. 这就是为什么癌症患者需要针对他们特定类型的癌症进行治疗.

Treatment Options

头颈癌的治疗因诊断和分期而异. 它可能包括手术、放射治疗和/或化疗.

Reconstruction

一些头颈癌在接受治疗后可能需要重建. 这些可能的重建程序包括:吻合术, dental implants, and surgery “free-flap” procedure.

Learn more information about reconstruction for head and neck cancer.