These are the cancers that form in the head and the neck region (lips, mouth, salivary glands, throat, voice box, sinuses and the nasal cavity). These are curable if diagnosed in their initial stage. According to an estimate, in 2009, there were 35,720 new cases of neck and head cancer occurred in United States only.
Symptoms of head and neck cancer
These cancers have specific signs such as:- Neck pain
- Mass in the neck
- Sinus congestion
- Bad breath
- Bleeding from the mouth
- Sore tongue
- Ulcer that is usually painless
- Mouth sores that don’t heal
- Dark patches in the mouth
- Ear pain
- Bleeding and numbness in the mouth ( not very common)
- Paralysis of the facial muscles
- Enlarged lymph glands in the neck area
- Lump in mouth, gums or lips
- In tongue cancer, slurred speech
- A hoarse unclear voice if the disease persists for more than 40 days
- Difficulty swallowing foods especially hard ones.
- Weight loss
Causes
Head and neck cancer is caused by:- Alcohol intake
- Tobacco use
- Exposure to textile fibers
- Woodworking
- Nickel refining
- Diet, especially excessive intake of red and processed meat. Poor or no intake of raw or cooked vegetables.
- Vitamin deficient diet
- Betel nut chewing is also a risk factor.
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease
- Human paillomavirus(HPV)
- Ethnic background such as African American men
- Epstein-Bar virus (EBV) infection
- Gutkha or paan eating
- Asbestose exposure
- Exposure to petroleum industry chemicals
- Exposure to paint fumes or wood dust for a prolonged time
- Weakened immunity
- Age above 55 years
- Leukoplakia ( the appearance of white spots in the mouth) is another risk factor.
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