Understanding Head and Neck Cancer

From the desk of Beth Battaglino, RN, CEO, HealthyWomen

Head and neck most cancers is a catch-all term that involves cancers of the lips, mouth, voice box, throat and salivary glands. When caught early, these cancers have a extremely good prognosis, with five-yr survival premiums of 70% to 90% with therapy. Sad to say, most instances are not diagnosed right until they’ve achieved a later stage, building treatment a great deal fewer productive.

You may perhaps surprise, if procedure works so properly for early-stage head and neck most cancers, why aren’t extra folks diagnosed before their most cancers advances?

HealthyWomen’s new education application explores what is actually stopping folks from finding care quicker. We know racial and socioeconomic disparities can be a barrier. We also know that the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in people skipping preventive care and program screenings. What is actually extra, head and neck cancer triggered by HPV may well carry stigmas that make persons a lot less most likely to carry up symptoms with their health care companies.

And, simply because head and neck most cancers contains several sorts of most cancers, signs and symptoms of these cancers are a lot of and various. Some of the most prevalent kinds, these types of as a continual sore throat or hoarse voice, can be mistaken for a signal of some thing else, like a chilly.

As Lisa Reed explained to HealthyWomen, “I knew there was a thing a lot more to the lump I felt in my throat. But it nonetheless took 2 1/2 months in 2007 and several visits to an ear, nose and throat expert (ENT) to encourage her to seem more difficult and deeper at my indicators. Eventually, the ENT did an endoscopy and observed a finger-like progress in the back again of my throat. Soon after a biopsy the up coming early morning, I listened to the dreaded information: It was most cancers.”

Whilst acquiring a head and neck cancer prognosis is overwhelming, what you or a loved a person does up coming is vital. Dr. Eleni Rettig, a head and neck surgeon at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute at Harvard Health care Faculty, shares the concerns you must inquire your healthcare service provider. We also support you comprehend your risk things and the diverse types of head and neck cancers — and we present information on indicators, early screenings and procedure alternatives.

For Susan Decker McLaughlin, it begun with a swollen lymph node, a tiny painless bump on the still left facet less than her jawbone and back molars. Soon after getting her prognosis, she defined, “I was worried and shocked: I might under no circumstances listened to of salivary cancer in advance of, and there was no recognized lead to.”

Susan extra, “This journey has taught me that I won’t be able to be worried to discuss up when anything does not truly feel appropriate. Medical professionals could possibly know a lot more about health care situations, but they do not know your physique improved than you do. If you happen to be not emotion nicely, belief oneself — and then combat as really hard as you can to get the treatment you ought to have.”

My finest hope is that you choose this significant advice, and like Susan, turn out to be your have greatest advocate.

In fantastic health,
Beth Battaglino

This useful resource was created with assistance from Merck.