H&N General Flashcards
What percentage of all cancers in the US do H&N cancers account for?
H&N cancers account for nearly 4% of all cancers in the US.
What is the male to female ratio for H&N cancers?
The male to female ratio for H&N cancers is 2:1.
Which demographic is most affected by H&N cancers?
Non-Hispanic white individuals are most affected by H&N cancers.
What types of cancer are most commonly diagnosed in H&N cancers?
Most will be diagnosed with mouth, throat, or laryngeal cancer.
What is a major risk factor for head and neck cancer?
Smoking is a major risk factor for head and neck cancer.
All tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and smokeless tobacco (chewing tobacco, snuff, or a type of chewing tobacco called betel quid) are linked to head and neck cancer.
How does alcohol consumption affect cancer risk?
Alcohol consumption raises the risk of getting cancers of the mouth, throat, and voice box.
This includes drinking any type of alcohol, such as beer, wine, or liquor.
What role does HPV infection play in head and neck cancers?
HPV infection is a risk factor, especially for oropharyngeal cancers.
Avoiding oral HPV infection can reduce the risk of HPV-associated head and neck cancers.
What vaccine has been approved for the prevention of HPV-related head and neck cancers?
The HPV vaccine Gardasil 9 has been granted accelerated approval for the prevention of oropharyngeal and other head and neck cancers caused by HPV.
What is a risk factor for nasopharyngeal cancers in Asia?
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection is a risk factor for nasopharyngeal cancers in Asia.
What are some presenting symptoms of oral cavity cancers?
Symptoms include swelling, ulceration, and trismus.
What are the symptoms of oropharyngeal cancers?
Symptoms include dysphagia and otalgia.
What symptoms are associated with hypopharyngeal cancers?
Symptoms include dysphagia and swollen lymph nodes in the neck.
What are the symptoms of laryngeal cancers?
Symptoms include hoarseness, change in voice, and stridor.
What symptoms are related to nose/sinus cancers?
Symptoms include nasal obstruction, facial pain, and diplopia.
What are the symptoms of nasopharyngeal cancers?
Symptoms include epistaxis, difficulty hearing, otitis media, cranial nerve palsies, and headaches.
What are the symptoms of salivary gland cancers?
Symptoms include a painless mass and swelling under the chin.
What are common symptoms of head and neck cancer?
Common symptoms may include a lump in the neck, a sore in the mouth or throat that does not heal and may be painful, a sore throat that does not go away, difficulty in swallowing, and a change or hoarseness in the voice.
What should be done if an enlarged cervical node persists for 1 week or more in an adult?
It should be regarded as suspicious and evaluated for malignancy.
What is important to do when experiencing symptoms of head and neck cancer?
It is important to check with a doctor or dentist about any of these symptoms.
What are the methods for detection and diagnosis of head and neck cancer?
Methods include physical examination, endoscopy/laryngoscopy, fine needle biopsy, CT and MRI, PET, and chest X-ray.
What does a fine needle biopsy confirm?
It confirms the presence of the tumor and its histologic type.
What percentage of primary tumors can CT and MRI identify that show no clinical evidence on physical examination?
CT and MRI can identify up to 50% of primary tumors.
What characteristics suggest metastatic disease in cervical nodes?
Nodes that are hard, greater than 1 cm, nontender, nonmobile, and raised suggest characteristics of metastatic disease.
What should be considered for the overall accuracy of the pretreatment assessment?
Any diagnostic information that contributes to the overall accuracy should be considered.
What is the most common origin of head and neck cancers?
Most head and neck cancers originate in mucous membrane epithelium, specifically squamous cell carcinoma (80%).
How do head and neck cancers typically spread?
Head and neck cancers spread by direct extension, lymphatic spread, and hematogenous spread.
What is the significance of lymph nodes in head and neck cancer?
The lymph nodes most commonly involved depend on the location from which the primary tumor arises.
Where are most lymph nodes located in the neck?
Most lymph nodes are located along major blood vessels underneath the sternocleidomastoid muscle on each side of the neck.
What staging systems are combined for head and neck cancer?
The staging is a combination of the AJCC and UICC TN system.
What are the two types of staging in head and neck cancer?
CTNM is clinical staging, and pTNM is pathologic staging.
What is the lymphatic drainage pattern in head and neck cancer?
Lymphatic drainage is mainly ipsilateral, but certain structures can have bilateral damage.
What are some key lymph nodes involved in head and neck cancer?
Key lymph nodes include jugulodigastric, occipital, deep cervical, and supraclavicular nodes.
What does the degree of cervical node involvement relate to?
The degree of cervical node involvement relates to prognosis.
What is another name for the jugulodigastric node?
The jugulodigastric node is also known as the subdigastric node.
What is the retroauricular node also known as?
The retroauricular node is also known as the mastoid node.
Nearly ____ of the body’s entire lymph nodes are in the head and neck area.
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