03/31/2025
April is Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month. We wanted to take this opportunity to share some important facts, we've learned from those we know, about head and neck cancer, according to enthealth.org. Pay close attention to numbers 17-19.
1. “Oral, head and neck cancer” typically refers to squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue, throat, and voice box. However, “head and neck cancer” also refers to other types of cancer that arises in the nasal cavity, sinuses, lips, mouth, thyroid glands, salivary glands, throat, or voice box.
2. Worldwide, over 550,000 new cases of oral, head and neck cancer are diagnosed each year.
3. Approximately 110,000 people are diagnosed with oral, head and neck cancer every year in the United States.
4. Cancers of the head and neck account for six percent of all cancers in the U.S.
5. Sixty-six percent of the time, oral, head and neck cancers will be found as late stage three and four disease.
6. Men are affected about twice as often as women with oral, head and neck cancer.
7. To***co and alcohol use are the leading causes of mouth and voice box cancers.
8. Cigarette smoking increases your risk of head and neck cancer by 15 times compared to a non-smoker.
9. People who use both to***co and alcohol are at greater risk than people who use only one or the other.
10. Oral, head and neck cancer tends to form in the areas where to***co and/or alcohol use has the most contact. For example, where the cigarette sits on the lip, or where the chewing to***co is placed in the mouth.
11. Chewing to***co causes mouth cancer.
12. Annually in the U.S., over 10,000 new cases of oral, head and neck cancer can be attributed to a particular strain of human papillomavirus (HPV).
13. HPV may be related to over half of tonsil cancers.
14. HPV is responsible for the rise in cancers of the oropharynx (tonsils and base of tongue) in younger non-smokers, and is related to oral s*x. The more oral s*x partners that someone has, the greater the risk of HPV cancer.
15. Over the past 10 years, more young non-smokers have developed HPV-related cancer of the tonsils and tongue base (back of tongue).
16. Caucasians are more likely to develop head and neck cancer, but African Americans are more likely to die from head and neck cancer.
17. A red or white patch in the mouth or a sore throat can be the first signs of cancers of the mouth and throat.
18. Hoarseness or a change in the voice can be the first sign of cancer of the voice box.
19. Signs of oral, head and neck cancer include a sore in your mouth that doesn’t heal; sore throat; lumps or patches in your mouth; trouble swallowing; changes in your voice; and/or a lump in your neck.
20. Most oral cancers form on the lips, tongue, or floor of the mouth. They may also occur inside your cheeks, on your gums, or on the roof of your mouth.
21. Oropharyngeal cancer arises from the part of the mouth further back, toward the throat, and is different from mouth and lip cancer.
22. Oropharyngeal cancer is often related to HPV, and occurs in the tonsils or tongue base. In contrast, oral cancers are in the mouth, and are often caused by to***co and alcohol use.
23. Most head and neck cancers can be prevented.
24. Head and neck cancers often spread to the lymph nodes of the neck.
25.Once cancer is in the lymph nodes, it is more likely to spread throughout the body.
Don't ignore the signs and symptoms and if you have any GET CHECKED RIGHT AWAY!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE take care of your body. It's the only one you've got ❤️
