Head and neck cancer Flashcards
Risk factors
Tobacco Alcohol Viruses - EBV, HPV Betel nut chewing Hardwood
HPV cancers - where do they present
Tonsils
Base of tongue
HPV cancers - transmission
Sexual
HPV cancers - prognosis
Good
Most common type
Squamous cell carcinoma
Clinical features
Symptoms persist for at least 3 weeks
- sore throat
- hoarseness
- stridor
- dysphagia
- odynophagia
- lump in neck
- unilateral ear pain
- voice change
Examination
Changes in colour/texture of mouth
Palpate any abnormalities (firm - usually cancerous)
Examine lymph nodes
Feel thyroid
Investigations
Nasal endoscopy FNA - to get a sample of cells Ultrasound CT MRI
Management
Analgesia Surgery Chemotherapy Radiotherapy Nutritional support
Nasopharyneal cancers in young people are usually caused by???
EBV
Nasopharyngeal cancers in older people are usually caused by???
Smoking
Alcohol
Small tumour with big lymph nodes
HPV
HPV makes E6/E7 which disrupts the p53 pathway?
E6
HPV makes E6/E7 which disrupts Rb?
E7
Young people who were previously fit and healthy are most likely to get which cancer?
HPV related squamous cell carcinoma
