{"id":293,"date":"2021-11-08T18:24:16","date_gmt":"2021-11-08T23:24:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/westernmichiganent.fm1.dev\/providing-comprehensive-ear-nose-throat-care\/head-neck-cancer\/"},"modified":"2022-04-13T12:23:05","modified_gmt":"2022-04-13T16:23:05","slug":"head-neck-cancer","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/westernmichiganent.com\/ent\/head-neck-cancer\/","title":{"rendered":"Head &#038; Neck Cancer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n  \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\n  \"mainEntity\": [{\n    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n    \"name\": \"What is head and neck cancer?\",\n    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n      \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n      \"text\": \"Head and neck cancers are those that grow in and around the throat, larynx, nose, sinuses and mouth. The majority of these cancers are squamous cell carcinomas that form in the cells lining the mucosal surfaces of the head and neck. They often spread to the lymph nodes, but are highly curable if discovered early.\"\n    }\n  }, {\n    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n    \"name\": \"How are head and neck cancers classified?\",\n    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n      \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n      \"text\": \"Head and neck cancers are classified according to the area in the body where they form. Larynx, also known as the voicebox, is a tube-shaped organ in the neck containing the vocal cords. It helps us speak, swallow, and breathe. Oral cavity includes the lips, tongue, gums, and mouth. Salivary glands produce saliva to keep food moist and help break it down. Pharynx is a hollow tube that begins behind the nose and leads to the esophagus and trachea. The nasal cavity is the hollow space in the bones around the nose, where air passes on the way to the throat.\"\n    }\n  }, {\n    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n    \"name\": \"What are the causes of head and neck cancers?\",\n    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n      \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n      \"text\": \"The biggest risk factors for head and neck cancers are tobacco (both cigarettes and chewing tobacco) and alcohol, especially when used together. 85 percent of head and neck cancers are linked to tobacco. Other risk factors include exposure to industrial toxins (e.g., wood dust, paint fumes), dietary factors, human papillomavirus, Epstein-Barr virus, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), asbestos exposure and radiation.\"\n    }\n }, {\n    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n    \"name\": \"What are the symptoms of head and neck cancer?\",\n    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n      \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n      \"text\": \"Symptoms of head and neck cancers are similar to those associated with other conditions and may seem harmless at first. Common signs include a lump or sore that doesn\u2019t heal, persistent sore throat, difficulty swallowing and hoarseness.\nOther symptoms you may experience: bleeding from the mouth, swelling of the jaw, frequent congestion, sinus infections that don\u2019t respond to treatment, headaches, earaches, facial numbness or paralysis, enlarged lymph nodes and an unexplained loss of weight.\"\n }\n }, {\n    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n    \"name\": \"How are head and neck cancers treated?\",\n    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n      \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n      \"text\": \"Treatment depends upon several factors. The size and location of the tumor, its stage, and your age and health must all be taken into consideration. Our team at Western Michigan Ent PC Suite 3 will make a decision based on these unique factors. Options might include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy or a combination of the above.\"\n }\n }\n ]\n  }\n<\/script>\n\n\n\n<p>Cancers in this region include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Oral cavity cancer involves the lips, tongue, the floor of the mouth, the hard and soft palates, or the gums.<\/li><li>Laryngeal cancer involves the voice box.<\/li><li>Pharyngeal cancer involves any part of the throat except for the voice box.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Salivary gland cancer involves the salivary glands.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Causes of Head and Neck Cancer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"854\" src=\"https:\/\/westernmichiganent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/iStock-857004724-1280x854.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-630\" srcset=\"https:\/\/westernmichiganent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/iStock-857004724-1280x854.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/westernmichiganent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/iStock-857004724-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/westernmichiganent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/iStock-857004724-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/westernmichiganent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/iStock-857004724-256x171.jpg 256w, https:\/\/westernmichiganent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/iStock-857004724.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Tobacco use of any kind, alcohol use, exposure to industrial toxins, a diet high in red meats and processed foods, human papillomavirus (HPV), Epstein-Barr virus and acid reflux <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cancer.gov\/types\/head-and-neck\/head-neck-fact-sheet\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">may all cause<\/a> head or neck cancer.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Symptoms of Head and Neck Cancer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Many symptoms of head and neck cancer are associated with other conditions. Make an appointment with a doctor for a thorough exam and diagnosis if any of the following symptoms are persistent:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"list-col-2\"><li>Chronic cough (especially if you are coughing up blood)<\/li><li>Hoarseness or other changes in your voice<\/li><li>Difficulty swallowing<\/li><li>Lumps on the neck<\/li><li>Sore throat lasting more than a month<\/li><li>Unexplained weight loss<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Diagnosing Head and Neck Cancer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Your doctor will perform a thorough head and neck examination and may perform or order a biopsy. Imaging tests including CT scans, MRIs and PET scans may help diagnose your condition. Once you receive a diagnosis, your doctor may refer you to physicians specializing in head and neck cancer surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Treatment Options<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Treatment for head and neck cancer depends on the tumor\u2019s size, location and whether it has spread to other areas of the body. Your doctor may recommend radiation therapy, surgery, chemotherapy or a combination of these procedures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><div class=\"content-cta\">\r\n<p>Call Western Michigan ENT at <a href=\"tel:+12313989536\" class=\"phone \"><span class=\"phone-number\">(231) 398-9536<\/span><\/a> for more information or to schedule an appointment.<\/p>\r\n<\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Cancers in this region include: Oral cavity cancer involves the lips, tongue, the floor of the mouth, the hard and soft palates, or the gums. Laryngeal cancer involves the voice box. Pharyngeal cancer involves any part of the throat except for the voice box.&nbsp; Salivary gland cancer involves the salivary glands.&nbsp; Causes of Head and&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":233,"menu_order":17,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":""},"service_tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/westernmichiganent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/293"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/westernmichiganent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/westernmichiganent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/westernmichiganent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/westernmichiganent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=293"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/westernmichiganent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/293\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":931,"href":"https:\/\/westernmichiganent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/293\/revisions\/931"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/westernmichiganent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/233"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/westernmichiganent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=293"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"service_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/westernmichiganent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/service_tags?post=293"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}