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- Diagnosis & Treatment
- Cancer Types
- Head & Neck Cancer
Head and neck cancers start when a cell in the head and neck area mutates and begins to rapidly divide.
These tumors can form in and around the ears, eyes, mouth, nose, throat, larynx (or voice box), thyroid and base of the skull. They can also form in the skin of the head and neck.
Brain cancers involve different cells and treatment plans than other cancers in the head and neck area, so they are not classified as head and neck cancer. Learn more about brain tumors.
Because of their location, head and neck cancers can impact many parts of daily life, including the ability see, hear, chew, swallow, smell and talk. They can also impact hormone levels that help control key bodily functions, like digestion and heart rate.
Successfully treating head and neck cancer requires specialists who are experienced in treating these tumors while maximizing the patient’s quality of life.
MD Anderson is #1 in Cancer Care
Head and neck cancer types
Eye cancer
More than two dozen types of cancer can develop in the different structures in and around the eye, such as the eyeball, eyelid and the orbit (the structure around the eyeball). Among these cancers are subtypes of melanoma, lymphoma, sarcoma and carcinoma.
One type of eye cancer requiring specialized care is retinoblastoma.
Retinoblastoma is a pediatric cancer of the retina, a light-sensitive layer of tissue in the eye. While it is rare, it is the most common malignant tumor that starts in the eye in children.
Only about 350 retinoblastoma cases are diagnosed each year in the United States. It usually occurs before age five. Most of these cases are in children under two.
Common eye cancer sites include the eyelid, conjunctiva and lacrimal gland.
Oral Cancer
Oral cancer (also known as mouth cancer or oral cavity cancer) is most often found in the tongue, the lips and the floor of the mouth. It also can begin in the gums, the minor salivary glands, the lining of the lips and cheeks, the roof of the mouth or the area behind the wisdom teeth.
The oral cavity.
Parathyroid disease
The parathyroid glands are in the neck, near the thyroid gland. They make parathyroid hormone (PTH). PTH controls the levels of calcium and phosphorous in the blood, helps the body make vitamin D and helps prevent the loss of too much calcium in the urine. There are both benign (not cancerous) and malignant (cancerous) types of parathyroid disease.
There are four parathyroid glands, usually located in the throat near the thyroid. In some cases, a parathyroid gland can descend below the thyroid.
Pituitary tumors
Pituitary tumors start in the pituitary gland, a pea-sized structure at the base of the brain. The pituitary gland makes several different hormones. While pituitary tumors almost always are benign (not cancer), they can cause serious medical problems.
The pituitary gland is located at the base of the brain, behind the eyes.
Skin cancer
Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States. Many cases develop in the head and neck area, including on the skin of the ears, face, neck and scalp. Because so many critical structures are located in the head and neck, treating skin cancer in these areas is complex and requires specialized care from a team of experts.
Skin cancer types include basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma and Merkel cell carcinoma. Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are slow growing and can be successfully treated in almost all cases. Melanoma and Merkel cell carcinoma are rarer but also more aggressive.
Learn more about melanoma, Merkel cell carcinoma and other skin cancers.
Salivary gland cancer
Each person has hundreds of salivary glands. These are found in the mouth, throat and sinus cavities. These glands are divided into two categories: the minor salivary glands and the major salivary glands. There are three pairs of major salivary glands, and most salivary gland cancers form in these structures.
Skull base tumors
The skull base is the area behind the eyes and nose that slopes down to the back of the head. It forms the floor, or base, of the skull and can be imagined as the wall between the brain and the face.
Many nerves, blood vessels, and the spinal cord pass through openings in the skull base. Several different tumor types start in or extend into this area. These tumors can be malignant (cancer) or benign (not cancer). Even benign tumors can cause symptoms or threaten the health and well-being of the patient.
Throat cancer
Throat cancer is a general term that can refer to several types of cancers in the head and neck.
Learn more about throat cancer.
Throat cancers are classified based on their location. They include:
- Oropharynx, which is made of the soft palate, the back of the tongue, the tonsils and the back and side walls of the throat. Most throat cancers start in the oropharynx. Oropharyngeal cancer is one of the most common head and neck cancers. The number of cases has grown significantly in the past several years and cases continue to rise. This is due to infection by the human papillomavirus (HPV), which can cause oropharyngeal cancer. HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer often forms in the tonsils or back of the tongue. Learn more about oropharyngeal cancer.
- Nasopharynx, which sits behind the nasal cavity and sends air from the nostrils to the trachea, or windpipe. Learn more about nasopharyngeal cancer.
- Hypopharynx, which connects the throat to the esophagus and trachea. Learn more about hypopharyngeal cancer.
- Larynx, or voice box. Learn more about laryngeal cancer.
Throat cancer forms in four locations: the hypopharynx, larynx, nasopharynx and oropharynx.
Thyroid cancer
Thyroid cancer begins in the thyroid gland, a small butterfly-shaped gland in the front of the neck at the base of the throat. In most cases it is a slow-growing disease that can be treated successfully, resulting in a five-year survival rate of more than 98%. Other rare subtypes are more aggressive, including anaplastic thyroid cancer, an extremely dangerous cancer that requires immediate treatment.
The thyroid gland is located in the front of the throat, at the base of the neck.
Head and neck cancer risk factors
A risk factor is anything that increases your chance of developing a disease. The risk factors for head and neck cancer include:
- Tobacco use: People who use tobacco in any form have an increased risk for several diseases, including oral cancer and throat cancer. Learn more about tobacco and cancer.
- Alcohol consumption: People who drink alcohol have an increased risk of developing throat cancer and oral cancer.
- Sun/ultraviolet light exposure: Skin damage to the head and neck area caused by ultraviolet light can cause skin cancer, including melanoma, in the head and neck area. Learn more about skin safety and cancer.
- Infection with HPV (human papillomavirus). This is the most significant risk factor for many types of cancer, including oropharynx cancer. Since HPV is spread through sexual contact, a related risk factor is a person’s sexual history and number of sexual partners. Learn more about HPV.
- Previous radiation treatment: People who have had radiation to the head and neck area to treat a previous cancer are at an increased risk of developing head and neck cancer. The benefits of radiation therapy far outweigh the risks, however..
- Age: Different diseases form more often in certain age groups.
- Most oral cancers are found in people over age 45.
- Most thyroid cancers are diagnosed in people aged 20-55.
- Almost everyone is exposed to one or more subtypes of HPV before the age of 30. Since the virus can lie dormant for decades, most oropharyngeal cases occur in people over age 60 but can be seen in patients in their 50s and younger.
- Sex: Oral cancer and throat cancer are more common in men than women. Thyroid cancer is more common in women than men.
- Genetic conditions: Some head and neck cancers, including certain cases of retinoblastoma, oral cancer and skull base tumors, are linked to inherited genetic conditions. In these cases, genetic counselors are part of the patient’s care team.
Some cases of head and neck cancer can be passed down from one generation to the next. Genetic counseling may be right for you. Learn more about the risk to you and your family on our genetic testing page.
Why Choose MD Anderson for your head & neck cancer care?
At MD Anderson, head and neck cancer patients can be treated in the Daneen and Charles Stiefel Head and Neck Center and the Endocrine Center.
Both centers offer truly multidisciplinary care. Teams usually consist of a surgeon, radiation oncologist and medical oncologist or endocrine oncologist. These specialists focus exclusively on cancers in the head and neck area. This gives them incredible skill and expertise to call on when caring for patients. They work together to develop a coordinated treatment plan designed just for you.
Your head and neck cancer care will include the most advanced treatments available. This may include:
- Proton therapy, a special type of radiation therapy that limits the radiation exposure to healthy tissue near the tumor.
- Immunotherapy, which recruits the body’s immune system in the fight against cancer.
- Advanced surgical techniques, including minimally invasive and robotic procedures that may offer faster recovery times and better results than standard techniques.
- Stereotactic radiosurgery, a powerful, extremely precise form of radiation that can be completed in just one session.
In addition to these treatments, your doctor may offer you a clinical trial of a new therapy. Clinical trials often provide the most advanced treatment available. Many clinical trials at MD Anderson cannot be found anywhere else.
And at MD Anderson you have access to all the services and support offered by one of the nation’s top-ranked comprehensive cancer centers. From counseling and support groups to integrative medicine care and physical therapy, MD Anderson has all the support and wellness services needed to treat the whole person – not just the disease.
MD Anderson is the standard. Put yourself in their hands, and they will walk with you through every stage.
Dana Reeves
Survivor
Treatment at MD Anderson
Head and neck cancers are treated at the following locations.
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