Head and neck cancers are a group of malignancies affecting soft tissue and bony structures of the face, head and neck. The sites and subsites of these tumours are important because they are frequently difficult to examine and specialised techniques and equipment are required. Treatment protocols differ greatly based on the site and stage of the particular head and neck cancer. Apart from thyroid cancers these tumours tend to be aggressive and require radical and often multimodal treatment. The main organs and sites that these cancers involve include:
Skin Cancer
Thyroid Cancer
Mouth
- tongue cancer
- floor of mouth cancer
- palate cancer
Pharynx
- nasopharyngeal cancer
- oropharyngeal cancer
- hypopharyngeal cancer
Larynx
- laryngeal cancer
Nasal Cavity/Sinuses
Neck
- nodal metastases in the neck may be the first sign that a patient has a head and neck cancer.