Home > Encyclopedia of Medicine > Head and Neck Cancer

Definition

The term head and neck cancers refers to a group of cancers found in the head and neck region. This includes tumors found in:

• The oral cavity (mouth). The lips, the tongue, the teeth, the gums, the lining inside the lips and cheeks, the floor of the mouth (under the tongue), the roof of the mouth and the small area behind the wisdom teeth are all included in the oral cavity.
• The oropharynx (which includes the back one-third of the tongue, the back of the throat and the tonsils).
• Nasopharynx (which includes the area behind the nose).
• Hypopharynx (lower part of the throat).
• The larynx (voice box, located in front of the neck, in the region of the Adam's apple). In the larynx, the cancer can occur in any of the three regions: the glottis (where the vocal cords are); the supraglottis (the area above the...