Head and neck cancer occurs when abnormal cells in the head or neck grow in an uncontrolled way.
In cancer medicine, the head and neck area includes the:
- mouth, including the lips, tongue and gums
- throat (also called the pharynx)
- voice box (also called the larynx)
- nose, including the nasal cavity (the area behind the nose) and sinuses
- salivary glands, which are in the floor of the mouth and near the lower jaw
- skin of the head and neck
- lymph nodes in the head and neck.
The head and neck area does not include the:
- brain
- eyes
- thyroid (a gland at the front of the neck that produces hormones)
- oesophagus (also called the food pipe)
- trachea (also called the windpipe)
- bones and muscles of the head and neck.