Head and Neck Cancer
A group of diseases of cells found in the mouth, lip, nasal cavity, throat, sinuses, and lymph nodes in the neck. Head and neck cancer is a rare condition. Known causes of head and neck cancer are strongly related with lifestyle and environmental risk factors including: tobacco use, alcohol consumption, UV light (sun exposure), certain strains of viruses (Epstein Barr virus [EBV] and human papilloma virus [HPV]), exposure to certain chemicals in the workplace, and vitamin A deficiency. If detected early it is highly curable. The stage of head and neck cancer can vary at diagnosis and throughout treatment. Stages of head and neck cancer include the Tumor, Node, Metastatis (TNM) staging system to describe a different area of cancer growth. After that is known, Stage Grouping using Stages I, II, III, or IV is assigned. This describes the extent of cancer throughout the body. The effectiveness of the treatment may depend upon the stage at diagnosis.