Neck cancer

Neck cancer occurs when abnormal cell growth begins in the neck.

Neck cancer includes several types of cancer that usually start in the cells lining your mouth, throat (pharynx) or voice box (larynx). These cells are called squamous cells. Less commonly, head and neck cancers form in your sinuses or salivary glands.

Most head and neck cancers are classified as squamous cell carcinoma, after the cell that changes into a cancer cell.

## Types

Types of neck cancer include:

* Oral cancer: Cancer that forms in your lips, tongue, gums, the lining of your cheeks and lips, the top and bottom of your mouth, or behind your wisdom teeth.
* Oropharyngeal cancer: Cancer of the middle part of your throat (oropharynx). Tonsil cancer is the most common type of oropharyngeal cancer.
* Hypopharyngeal cancer: Cancer of the bottom part of your throat (hypopharynx).
* Laryngeal cancer: Cancer of your voice box (larynx), which contains your vocal cords.
* Nasopharyngeal cancer: Cancer of the upper part of your throat (nasopharynx).
* Salivary gland cancer: Cancer of your salivary glands, which produce saliva (spit).
* Nasal cavity and paranasal sinus cancer: Cancer that forms in the hollow area inside of your nose (nasal cavity) or the hollow spaces in the bones surrounding your nose (paranasal sinuses).

## Symptoms

* A persistent sore throat.
* Frequent headaches.
* Hoarseness or voice changes.
* Pain when you chew or swallow.
* Pain in your upper teeth.
* Facial numbness or pain.
* Neck pain that won’t go away.
* Trouble breathing or speaking.
* A lump in your throat, mouth or neck.
* Persistent earaches or infections.
* Nosebleeds, bloody saliva and phlegm.
* A mouth or tongue sore that doesn’t heal.
* Frequent sinus infections that don’t respond to antibiotics.
* A white or red patch on your gums, tongue or inside of your mouth.
* Swelling in your jaw, neck or side of your face (that may cause your dentures to fit poorly).

## Treatment

The three main treatments for neck cancer are surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Your healthcare provider may also recommend newer treatments like targeted therapy and immunotherapy or suggest you participate in a clinical trial.

* Surgery: Surgeons may remove the tumor and a margin of surrounding healthy tissue. The surgeon may also remove the lymph nodes in your neck if they suspect the cancer’s spread there.
* Radiation therapy: The most common form of radiation for head and neck cancers uses a machine that directs high-energy X-rays toward your tumor (EBRT). You may receive radiation as a standalone treatment or alongside other treatments like surgery and chemotherapy. Radiation therapy can help relieve symptoms, too.
* Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy uses a single drug or a combination of drugs to kill cancer cells. It’s more commonly used for advanced-stage head and neck cancers.
* Targeted therapy: These drugs target specific types of cancer. They’re most often used in combination with other treatments to treat advanced head and neck cancers. Cetuximab (Erbitux®) is a drug that targets a tumor protein called epidermal growth factor (EGFR) and is U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved to treat particular head and neck cancers. There are treatments approved by the FDA specific to genetic changes, such as larotrectinib (Vitrakvi®), which is used to treat people with mutations in their *NTRK gene.*
* Immunotherapy: Immunotherapy drugs activate (or boost) your immune system to identify and destroy cancer cells more effectively. Pembrolizumab (Keytruda®) and nivolumab (Opdivo®) are two FDA-approved immunotherapy drugs used to treat certain head and neck cancers that’ve spread or returned following treatment.
* Clinical trials: A clinical trial is a study that tests the safety and effectiveness of new treatments. Current research on head and neck cancer treatments is testing new immunotherapy drugs and radiation therapy techniques. Research is ongoing to discover the best treatment combinations for various cancer types. Ask your healthcare provider if a clinical trial is right for you.