Each year worldwide, numerous cases of head and neck cancer occur. Treatment of head and neck cancer that forms in the head and neck region, depends on the type, location, and size of the cancer. These cancers start in the squamous cells, the salivary glands, sinuses, and nerves in the head and neck. Head and neck cancer primarily form in the oral cavity, larynx, pharynx, sinonasal cavities, and salivary glands. You cannot prevent this disease wholly but may be able to lower your risk. Consult Dr. Manish Singhal, a renowned oncologist in Delhi, for more information about your chances of head and neck cancer.
What are the complications of head and neck cancer?
Patients getting radiation therapy for treating the head and neck are susceptible to a significant deterioration in their oral health. The oral morbidities of radiation therapy cause vulnerability to dental caries and sensory changes involving the oral soft tissue. The acute effects of radiation therapy include pain, mucosal infections, and sensory disruptions. Some common complications of head and neck cancer therapy:
- Mucositis
- Oropharyngeal candidiasis
- Neurosensory disorders
- Post radiation fibrosis
- Periodontitis
- Oral complications
- Osteoradionecrosis
Patients with head and neck cancer usually experience debilitating speech and respiratory problems and the psychological effects of loss of function. Among them who have undergone chemotherapy are at risk for disability from cancer or their treatment. These cancers start in or near your tongue, lips, tonsils, mouth, nose, throat, salivary glands, or voice box. Surgery, radiation, and other treatments can fight cancer, but they cause long-term health complications, which can last after treatment ends. For your treatment decisions, talk with Dr. Manish Singhal about how each treatment can affect your body:
- Eating Problems
- Dry Mouth
- Tooth Loss
- Lymphedema
- Self-Esteem and Body Image
Less Common Side Effects
- Hypothyroidism.
- Hearing problems.
- Jawbone damage.
- Chronic pain.
What organs are affected by head and neck cancer?
Head and neck cancers can affect the eyes, spine, brain, salivary gland, sinuses, mouth, thyroid, throat, and voice box and usually spread to the lymph nodes. Organs at high risk are the cerebellum, brain stem, the mandible. Head and neck cancer refers to several malignant tumors that grow in or around the throat, nose, sinuses, larynx, and mouth. The treatment for head and neck cancer that forms in the squamous cells is complex due to the number of organs at risk located near the treatment volume.
What are the two common aetiological agents associated with head and neck cancer?
Etiologic agent refers to a viable microorganism or its toxin, any other agent that may cause fatal disease in humans. Two common aetiological agents associated with head and neck cancer are the use of alcohol and tobacco, including secondhand smoke. These are risk factors for cancers in the hypopharynx, oral cavity, and voice box. Users of tobacco and alcohol are at greater risk of developing these cancers than users of one of them alone. The use of tobacco and alcohol also causes most head and neck squamous cell carcinomas of the mouth and voice box. Various carcinogenic agents and nitrosamines present in tobacco products and moderate to heavy alcohol consumption develop certain head and neck cancers.
Other risk factors for specific cancers of the head and neck:
- Paan (betel quid).
- Occupational exposure.
- Radiation exposure.
- Epstein-Barr virus infection.
- Ancestry.
- Underlying genetic disorders.
What are the two most important risk factors for head and neck cancer?
A risk factor refers to anything that increases a person’s chance of developing cancer. Talking about your risk factors with a reputed oncologist, Dr. Manish Singhal, may help you make better-informed health care choices. The two most crucial risk factors for head and neck cancers are Tobacco and Alcohol. All tobacco products and drinking alcohol are linked to head and neck cancer.
- Tobacco
Tobacco usage, the single largest risk factor for head and neck cancer, includes smoking cigarettes, secondhand smoking, and chewing tobacco. Researchers estimate that eighty percent of head and neck cancers are linked to tobacco use.
- Alcohol
Heavy and regular alcohol consumption raises the possibility of cancer in the mouth, pharynx, larynx, and esophagus. Using both alcohol and tobacco increases this risk more. Cases of these cancers, found in the oropharynx and hypopharynx region, are more intensely affected by alcohol than those found in the oral cavity and larynx. Other primary risk factors for head and neck cancer include human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. Other factors:
- Prolonged sun exposure.
- Human papillomavirus (HPV).
- Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).
- Gender.
- Age.
- Poor oral and dental hygiene.
- Environmental or occupational inhalants.
- Marijuana.
- Poor nutrition.
- Diseases like Gastroesophageal reflux and laryngopharyngeal reflux.
- Weakened immune system.
- Radiation exposure.
Researchers continuously search for factors that cause this type of cancer. Recovery from these cancers may involve working with rehabilitation specialists and other experts to cope with side effects, like difficulty breathing, hearing loss, difficulty eating, dental problems, thyroid issues, or difficulty speaking. To reduce their cancer risk, people should stop using all tobacco products. Consulting one of the best oncologists in Delhi, Dr. Manish Singhal will help you with advanced and personalized cancer treatment with essential follow-ups.
