Keep an eye out for the symptoms and visit a physician as early as possible.
Keep an eye out for the symptoms and visit a physician as early as possible.
Head and neck cancers are some of the most common cancers in developing countries like India. It includes cancer of mouth, throat, sinuses, salivary glands, nose or middle ear. They account for one-fourth of male cancers and one-tenth of female cancers in India. Some of the major causes of head and neck cancer include consumption of alcohol, tobacco and areca nut, HPV infections or poor oral hygiene.
Mouth cancer includes cancer of the lip, tongue or any other part of the mouth. Common symptoms for oral cancer are pain or discomfort in mouth or a lump in the mouth that does not go away. Throat cancer develops at the pharynx and larynx. Early symptoms of throat cancer include a lump in the upper neck or a painless swelling. Signs of cancer of the sinuses include pain behind the nose, swelling around the eyes and headaches. Difficulty in swallowing and facial palsy are symptoms of salivary gland cancer. Squamous cell carcinoma, which starts in the cells lining mouth, nose and throat, is the most common type of head and neck cancer (found in 90 percent cases).
One must visit a general physician or a dentist in case of worrying symptoms. After examination, he/she might refer the patient to an ENT specialist. X-ray, biopsy, endoscopy are few of the common tests recommended for further diagnosis. To check if the cancer has spread, CT scan, PET scan or MRI is carried out by the specialists.
Chemotherapy has been used for decades as the main treatment for cancer. However, it might lead to toxic side-effects. It is used along with radiation therapy. Radiotherapy uses high-energy rays to control or cure cancer. It is often prescribed to destroy the tumor or to relieve pain symptoms. Targeted therapies also work by interfering with the way cancer cells grow. This is referred to as precision medicine.
Rehabilitation after head and neck cancer treatment is important. It involves working with specialists like dentists, speech therapists, nutritionists, physiotherapists etc. Tobacco de-addiction measures should also be initiated as prevention measure.
It is possible to prevent and carry out early detection of head and neck cancer.
This article has been written by Dr. Vishesh Gumdal of Global Hospital, Lakdikapool, Hyderabad.
It encompasses cancers of the oral cavity, tongue, tonsils, oropharynx, and larynx.
The introduction of the newer modalities of systemic treatment has made impact in better survival outcomes.
Symptoms of head & neck cancer include blood in phlegm, lump in the neck, skin changes, change in voice, difficulty in swallowing and a sore that does not heal.
The use of radiotherapy with concurrent chemotherapy has been demonstrated to yield more positive results over just use of radiotherapy alone.
People consuming tobacco and alcohol are at greater risk of developing this cancer
Multi-disciplinary approach with new surgical and radiation techniques, chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy can help in reducing morbidity rates.
It can be prevented by making changes in lifestyle
Head and neck cancer is the sixth most common cancer worldwide. There are approximately 650,000 cases and 200,000 deaths from this disease every year.
Keep an eye out for the symptoms and visit a physician as early as possible.
One of the major causes of the disease is tobacco use.
Surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy are the treatment options.
Head and neck cancer collectively refers to cancers of the oral cavity, salivary glands, pharynx, larynx, nasal cavity, and paranasal sinuses.
Of the 10 lakh cases of cancer detected in the country every year, around 2 lakh are cancers of the head and neck, says oncologist.
The country has one of the highest rates of oral cancer in the world due to tobacco use, and the rates are still increasing.
Infection with HPV, overexposure to UV rays, and advancing age are the other risk factors.
According to oncologist, a lump in the neck can be the first sign.
Usage of tobacco and alcohol is associated with a high risk of developing head and neck cancer.
Alcohol and tobacco addiction are the most common causes.
Tobacco and alcohol are the main causes. People who use both tobacco and alcohol are at a greater risk than those who use only one or the other.
According to expert, the above is a symptom of head and neck cancer.
Oncologist remembers the case of a 30-something man who was diagnosed with head and neck cancer.
Persistent mouth ulcers and a lump in the throat are the major symptoms.
The combined consumption of alcohol and tobacco reportedly increases the risk of head and mouth cancer by 15 times.
These cancers affect more men than women. For men alone, there were 92,000 new cases of throat and tongue cancer last year.
These cancers are caused due to tobacco use. Excessive consumption of alcohol, advancing age, and Human Papilloma Virus infection are the other contributory factors.
The other risk factors include consumption of alcohol and infection with Human Papilloma Virus.
Cancers developing in or around the mouth, pharynx, larynx, nose, or sinuses are broadly referred to as head and neck cancer.
