Various Causes You Can Affect Neck and Head Cancer

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Medical Video: Head and neck cancer: causes, symptoms, and treatment

You may hear more about breast cancer and cervical cancer in the mass media. But did you know that the number of head and neck cancer patients in Indonesia reaches 32 thousand people per year? However, the information related to neck cancer and head who is ranked third is actually still very limited. Adult men have twice the risk of experiencing this type of cancer than women. I wonder why?

What is neck and head cancer?

Neck and head cancer is a term used to describe a number of different malignant tumors that develop around the tissues and organs of the head and neck. These include cancer of the larynx (vocal cords), throat, lips, mouth, nose, sinuses and salivary glands.

Most neck and head cancers begin in squamous cells, which are cells that line the moist surface of the head and neck organs - for example, the cheeks in the mouth, the inner wall of the nose, and the inside of the throat. The salivary gland itself has a variety of different cell types that can turn into cancer, so there are many different types of salivary gland cancers.

What needs to be understood, cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body. Cancer cells in the head or neck can sometimes travel to the lungs and grow there. When cancer cells do it, this is called metastasis. The structure of the cancer cell in the new place will look the same as cancer in its original place, which originates from the head or neck where it starts.

So when head and neck cancer spreads to the lungs (or elsewhere), it is still called neck and head cancer. This is not called lung cancer unless it starts from cells in the lungs.

What are the features and symptoms of neck and head cancer?

The most common symptoms of head and neck cancer are lumps or pain that does not heal, sore throat that does not disappear, difficulty swallowing, and there are changes in voice or hoarseness.

Symptoms of neck and head cancer that may be more specific are as follows:

  • Lumps, swelling, or mass in the head or neck area, with or without pain
  • Rotten bad breath that is not caused by poor oral and dental hygiene
  • Nasal congestion that is often recurrent and difficult to lose
  • Frequent nosebleeds and / or strange discharge from the nose (not snot or blood)
  • Double vision
  • Numbness or paralysis of the muscles in the face, or pain in the face, chin, or neck that does not disappear
  • Bleeding or unusual pain in the mouth
  • Frequent headaches
  • Ears ringing; or hearing difficulties
  • Unexplained weight loss

Frequently some of these symptoms may also be caused by conditions other than cancer that are less serious. It is important to see a doctor if you have concerns about these symptoms. For a diagnosis of head and neck cancer, your doctor will do a physical examination and diagnostic tests. You will undergo a biopsy, in which tissue samples are taken and examined under a microscope. This is the only test that can tell you if you have cancer.

What causes neck and head cancer?

Head and neck cancer is twice as common in adult men. Head and neck cancer is also more often diagnosed among people aged 50 years and over than among young people.

Using tobacco is the biggest risk factor for neck and head cancer. About 75-85 percent of head and neck cancer cases are associated with tobacco use, including smoking, cigar, or pipe smoking; chewing tobacco; also electronic cigarettes. The amount of tobacco use can affect the prognosis, which is a chance for recovery. In addition, cigarette smoke inhaled by passive smoking can increase their risk for head and neck cancer.

Frequent and severe alcohol consumption is the next risk factor that plays a role in your chances of getting neck and head cancer, especially in the mouth, pharynx, larynx and esophagus. Using alcohol and tobacco simultaneously even increases this risk by multiplying. On the other hand, HPV infection is a special risk factor for some head and neck cancers.

Other risk factors for neck and head cancer include preserved foods and salted foods (salted fish and salted eggs, for example) during childhood, poor oral and dental hygiene, and radiation exposure to the head and neck area from non-health examinations -cancer.

Although risk factors often affect the development of cancer, most do not directly cause cancer. Some people who have a number of risk factors never have this disease, while others who are not known for risk factors actually develop this cancer.

How to prevent cancer of the neck and head?

There is no proven way to really prevent cancer, including neck and head cancer. However, people who are at risk of head and neck cancer - especially those who use tobacco - should discuss with their doctors about possible ways to reduce the risk.

One of them is to stop smoking and / or use of all tobacco products. This is the most important first step as an effort to emphasize your risk of head and neck cancer, even for people who have been smoking for years. Other steps that can reduce the risk of head and neck cancer include:

  • Avoiding alcohol
  • Use sunblock on the skin of the body and face regularly, including lip balm with adequate SPF levels
  • Maintain proper denture care, if you have it. Dentures that don't fit properly can trap cancer-causing substances and alcohol. You must diligently control your teeth, and check the feasibility of your denture at the dentist at least every 5 years to ensure compatibility. Dentures must be removed every night and thoroughly cleaned and rinsed every day.
  • Reducing the risk of HPV infection by limiting the number of sexual partners due to mutuality or having multiple sexual partners at one time increases your risk of this infection. Using a condom cannot completely protect you from HPV during sex.
  • Get an HPV vaccine to prevent HPV infection in the oral cavity which can trigger neck and mouth cancer. However, the use of the HPV vaccine has not been fully approved as an independent preventative measure for oropharyngeal cancer (mouth and throat).
Various Causes You Can Affect Neck and Head Cancer
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