Head and Neck Cancer

To speak to a patient care coordinator
or schedule an appointment,
call 206-922-6400

• About Head and Neck Cancer
  1. Who Gets Head and Neck Cancer
  2. How Do I Know If I Have Head and Neck Cancer?
  3. What Are My Treatment Options?
• Our Head and Neck Cancer Treatment Services
  1. IMRT/IGRT
  2. What to Expect During Treatment
• Talk to a Cancer Navigator
• Resources

What Is Head and Neck Cancer?

Head and neck cancers include many types of malignancies (cancerous tumors) in the face, mouth and throat. Some common locations include:

• nasal cavity/paranasal sinuses
• oral cavity (lips, gums, floor of mouth, tongue, cheeks) 
• mouth, jaw, throat and ears
• thyroid
• pharynx, nasopharynx, oropharynx (base of tongue, tonsils)
• larynx (voice box) and hypopharynx
• salivary glands
• skin of head and neck
• neck and metastases (spread) to the neck
• skull

The way a particular head and neck cancer behaves depends on the site in which it arises (the primary site). For example, cancers that begin on the vocal cords behave very differently than those that arise in the back of tongue, just an inch or less from the vocal cords.

The most common type of cancer in the head and neck is squamous cell carcinoma, which arises in the cells that line the inside of the nose, mouth and throat. Other less common types of head and neck cancers include lymphomas and sarcomas.