Head and neck tumours

Ninety percent of head and neck tumours are squamous cell carcinomas. The remainder are salivary gland tumours, lymphomas and ethmoidal adenocarcinoma.

Head and neck cancer is the 7th most common cancer in the UK with around 13,800 new cases every year. Each year 24% of all new head and neck cancer cases in the UK are diagnosed in people aged 75 and over. (1)

Early diagnosis is essential if these tumours are to be managed effectively. Spread to the lymph nodes is often the first sign - fortunately the lymph nodes present an effective barrier to spread, and distant metastases are only seen in about 10% of cases.

Note - tonsil cancer is the most common form of oropharyngeal malignant neoplasm, and its incidence is sharply rising due to the increasing prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV)-induced cancers. There has been a sharp increase in the number of cases occurring secondary to HPV, with up to 93% of new oropharyngeal cancers in Western Europe showing HPV positivity. (2)

There is also a growing body of evidence to suggest that having a spouse with HPV-related cancer can result in a slight increase in the likelihood of developing oropharyngeal and anogenital cancers. (3)

Reference

1. Head and neck cancers statistics; Cancer Research UK statistics.
2. Näsman A et al. Incidence of human papillomavirus (HPV) positive tonsillar carcinoma in Stockholm, Sweden: an epidemic of viral-induced carcinoma? Int J Cancer. 2009 Jul 15;125(2):362-6.
3. Mirghani H et al. Is there an increased risk of cancer among spouses of patients with an HPV-related cancer: A systematic review. Oral Oncol. 2017 Apr;67:138-145.