Head and neck cancers can be defined as any cancer in the oral cavity, throat, or sinuses. Two of the more common areas for head and neck cancer are the oral cavity (mouth) and oropharynx (throat). Many types of tumors can develop in the oral cavity and oropharynx. The three types include benign growths (not cancerous) that do not invade other tissues and do not spread to other parts of the body, pre-cancerous conditions that are harmless growths that can turn into cancer over time, and cancerous tumors that can grow into nearby tissues and spread to other parts of the body. According to the American Cancer Society, 53,000 people will be diagnosed with oral or pharynx cancer in 2019, and 10,860 people will die from a oral cavity or pharynx cancer.

Risk Factors:

According to the American Cancer Society, some risk factors include:
– Tobacco and Alcohol Use
– Human Papillomavirus Infection
– Gender – Oral cancers are twice as common in men than in women.
– Age
– Ultraviolet Light
– Poor Nutrition
– Weakened Immune System
– Graft-Versus-Host Disease
– Lichen Planus