What are the symptoms?
Symptoms that are common to several head and neck cancer sites include a lump, a sore that does not heal, a sore throat that does not go away, difficulty swallowing and a change or hoarseness in the voice.
| This includes the lips the front two thirds of the tongue, the gums, the lining of the cheeks and lips, the floor of the mouth, the bony top of the mouth, (hard palate) and the small area behind the wisdom teeth. |
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Symptoms:
A white or red patch on the gums, tongue or lining of the mouth, a swelling of the jaw that causes dentures to fit poorly and unusual bleeding or pain in the mouth. |
| These are under the tongue, in front of the ears, under the jawbone and in parts of the upper digestive tract. |
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Symptoms:
Swelling or growth along the sides of the face or under the chin or around the jawbone (Mandible) and pain in the teeth. Facial nerve weakness may also occur.
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| The paranasal sinuses are small hollow spaces behind the nose. The nasal cavity is the hollow space inside the nose. |
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Symptoms:
Sinuses that are blocked and do not clear, chronic sinus infections that do not respond to antibiotics, bleeding through the nose, frequent headaches and pain in the upper teeth.
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Skin cancers involve scalp, face, or neck and includes basal cell and squamous cell cancers as well as melanomas.
Symptoms:
Persistent crusting, bleeding or discoloration. Black or dark moles or changes in their appearance or sensation.
These can sometimes be felt in the neck and may be a sign of inflammation or malignancy.
Symptoms:
Lumps or growths which could represent tumors or lymph nodes.
| This is a hollow tube about 5 inches long that starts behind the nose and leads to the esophagus. There are three parts to the Pharynx: |
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1. Nasopharynx
This is the upper part of the pharynx behind the nose.
Symptoms:
Trouble breathing or speaking, frequent headaches, pain or ringing in the ears or trouble hearing. |
2. Oropharynx
This is the middle part of the pharynx and includes the soft palate (the back roof of the mouth), the base of the tongue and tonsils.
Symptoms:
Ear Pain (Otalgia), painful or difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) |
3. Hypopharynx
This is the lower part of the pharynx.
Symptoms:
Ear pain, painful or difficulty swallowing.
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This is the voice box that contains the vocal cords.
Symptoms:
Pain, hoarseness, or difficult or noisy breathing (stridor)
| Your thyroid is a small bow tie or butterfly-shaped gland, lying across and adjacent to the Adam's Apple area. |
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Symptoms:
Lower frontal neck mass, hoarseness, sensation of difficulty swallowing or difficulty breathing. |
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