Head and neck cancer Flashcards
What is a head and neck cancer?
Cancer affecting the upper aero-digestive structures
What are some examples of head and neck cancers?
Mouth cancer
Nose cancer
Nasal cavity cancer
Pharyngeal cancer
Laryngeal cancer
How common are head and neck cancers compared to other types of cancers?
Less common
What histological type of cancer are head and neck cancers usually?
Squamous cell carcinoma
Why are head and cancers usually squamous cell carcinomas histologically?
Because most of the structures are lined with stratified squamous epithelium
Which head and neck cancers are the most common?
Oral cavity
Oropharynx
Larynx
What are the risk factors of head and neck cancer?
Heavy alcohol
Heavy tobacco use
Age
Epstein-Barr virus infection
HPV infection
Chewing betel quid
Long term exposure to sunlight
Epstein-Barr virus infection is associated with what type of head and neck cancer the most?
Nasopharyngeal cancer
HPV infection is assocuated with what type of head and neck cancer the most?
Oropharyngeal cancer
What are the common signs and symptoms of head and neck cancers?
Painful mucosal ulceraton within oral cavity
Hoarse voice
Dysphagia, odynophagia
Otalgia
Cervical lymphadenopathy
What is meant by odynophagia?
Painful swallowing
What causes otalgia in head and neck cancers?
Referred pain to the ear
because sensory innervation is by the facial nerve
What do head and cancers meastasise to?
Lymph nodes of neck
What investigations are done in order to stage a head and neck cancer?
Biopsy
CT/MRI imaging
Endoscopy
What is the staging system for head and neck cancers?
TNM tumour node metastases