Head and Neck Cancer

According to statistics from Cancer Research UK, 34 new cases of head and neck cancer are diagnosed in the UK every day.

This amounts to 12,400 cases per year and 3% of all new cancer cases, making it the 8^th most common type of cancer. Whilst not as common as some cancers, it is nonetheless a cancer which can be very serious and potentially fatal, particularly if there is delay in diagnosis and treatment.

Head and neck cancer can affect various body parts in the head and neck region but the most common location is the tongue. Other areas it can affect are:

• Mouth, gums and lips;
• The voice box;
• Throat;
• Tonsils – the former guitarist from Oasis, Paul Arthurs, has recently been diagnosed with tonsil cancer;
• Salivary gland;
• Nose and sinuses;
• Nasopharynx, which is the area at the back of the nose and mouth;

Major risk factors for head and neck cancers is drinking and smoking; in fact, 3 out of 4 of such cancers are linked to tobacco or alcohol use. Cancers affecting the back of the tongue and in the tonsils are also linked to a type of virus called the human papilloma virus (HPV).

The prognosis for such cancers depends on the type of cancer, the staging of the cancer and whether the cancer has metastasised, which means that it has spread to other parts of the body. Timely diagnosis is crucial; when a doctor or dentist sees a patient with symptoms which may be due to a head or neck cancer, they should refer the patient to the hospital. This is often done under the 2 week wait system, meaning that the specialist should see the patient within 2 weeks. They will then do investigations, which can include ultrasound scanning of the neck or using a camera (known as an endoscope) to look at the back of your mouth, nose, throat and voicebox. A biopsy is often taken from the area that looks abnormal, so that it can be looked at under a microscope for cancer cells.

Treatment varies depending on the type of cancer but often involve surgery to remove the tumour, following by radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. It can also include targeted therapies or immunotherapy. A multi-disciplinary team will consider each patient and consider the most suitable treatment, depending on the type of cancer and the staging, but the patient will also be involved in the decision making process.

If you or a loved one have suffered a head and neck cancer and feel that there was delay in diagnosis and treatment of the same, please contact our experienced Clinical Negligence team to discuss how they can assist you.