Head and Neck Cancer Flashcards
Causes of this cancer
Tobacco Alcohol Viruses Betel Nut Hardwood
Means of using tobacco?
Chewing, snuffed, smoked
Viruses?
EBV (especially south china, high rates of nasopharyngeal cancer)
HPV (sexual, multiple partners)
Nut eaten in india + Pakistan
Betel Nut
Serious pathology of head and neck always located…
on the lateral sides (e.g. never dorsal tongue)
Investigations
Radiology
Fine Needle Aspirate
Endoscopy/ Biopsy
Why is blood of little value in investigation?
There are no clear markers for head and neck cancer
CT is good for
comparing bone and soft tissue
MRI is good for
Just looking at soft tissue
Vast majority of head and neck cancers are…
squamous carcinoma (since most histology is squamous epithelium)
Reasons for voice change
Paralysis of recurrent laryngeal nerve
Impingment of larynx
Removal of the larynx/thyroid tissue may cause:
Calcium crash (no PTH being produced)
If upper airway is narrowed, how do we react?
We adapt by breathing faster to mainatin O2 sats
