Head and neck cancer (cancer outside the brain, eyes and spinal cord) appeared on average at the age of 59 years. Usually salivary gland cancer, thyroid gland or sinus attack under the age of 59 years and cancer of the mouth, throat (pharynx) or voice box (larynx) attacks over 59 years of age.
At first, the head and neck cancer spread to lymph nodes nearby. Within 6 months to 3 years, the cancer usually does not spread to other body parts. Metastase (spread of cancer to other body parts) are usually derived from large tumors or tumors that persist and are more common in people with immune system disorders.
Staging
Staging is a method to determine the spread of cancer to help assess the type of treatment and prognosis. Head and neck cancer stadiumnya determined based on the size and location of tumor, number and size of metastase to neck lymph nodes and the presence of metastase to other parts of the body.
CAUSE
Approximately 85% of patients are smokers and alcohol drinkers.
Mouth cancer can also occur due to:
- Poor oral hygiene
- False teeth that do not fit
- Inhaling or chewing tobacco.
Epstein-Barr virus (the cause of infectious mononucleosis) play a role in the occurrence of cancer nasopharynx (upper pharynx). Someone who have had a low-dose radiation therapy for acne, excessive hair growth, enlargement of the thymus gland or tonsil and adenoid enlargement, are at high risk for thyroid cancer and salivary gland. At this time, radiation therapy is no longer used to overcome these problems.
Head and neck cancer symptoms
* A lump in the neck
Cancer originating from the head or neck usually spread to the lymph nodes in the neck before spreading to other body parts. A lump in the neck that lived more than 2 weeks should be seen by a doctor. It was not all lumps are cancer, but 1 or a few lumps in the neck can be an early sign of cancer of the mouth, throat, larynx, thyroid gland or some kind of lymphoma or blood cancers. The lump is usually painless and continue to grow.
* Changes the sound.
Most cancers of the larynx causing voice changes. Hoarseness or other voice change lasting more than 2 weeks should be seen by a doctor. Otolaringologis is a head and neck specialist who can assess our vocal chords.
* A growth in the mouth.
Most cancer of the mouth or tongue cause an open wound or swelling that does not heal. Wound and the swelling is painless unless infected.
Bleeding usually occurs at an advanced stage. If the wound or swelling is accompanied by lumps in the neck, then we must be vigilant. To ensure that it was not a malignancy, a biopsy should be performed (examination of microscopic tissue samples).
* Bleeding.
Bleeding is often caused by diseases other than cancer. However, tumors in the nose, mouth, throat or lungs can cause bleeding. If for a few days or more in the saliva or phlegm in the blood there, better get yourself to the doctor.
* Difficulty swallowing.
Cancer of the throat or esophagus (the channel to swallow) cause difficulty in swallowing solid foods. Sometimes liquids difficult. Food can get stuck in a particular area and into the stomach or back into the esophagus.
If you have trouble almost every time you try to swallow something, you should immediately consult a doctor. To find out the cause, usually performed x-ray or barium swallow Oesophagoscopy.
* Change the skin.
Head and neck cancer most often found in the basal cell skin cancer. If treated immediately, rarely cause serious problems. Basal cell cancers in areas most often exposed to sunlight, such as the forehead, face and ears, although they can also be found on the skin on other body parts. Basal cell cancer begins as a small, pale spots, which then enlarges slowly, forming grooves in the center and eventually an ulcer (ulcers, open wounds).
Parts of the ulcer may heal, but most remains ulcerated. Some basal cell cancers show color changes. Other cancers are squamous cell cancer and malignant melanoma, also occur on the skin of the head and neck.
Most squamous cell cancers occur on the lower lip and ear. These cancers look like basal cell cancers and, if treated quickly and appropriately, usually not too dangerous. If there is an open sore on the lip, lower face or ear that does not heal, consult a physician.
Malignant melanoma causes blue-black dye or black on the skin. Any mole that changes size and color or cause bleeding, must be examined. Black spots or blue-black in the face or neck, especially if the shape or size change, must be examined.
* Persistent ear pain.
Pain when swallowing living in or around the ear, can be a sign of infection or tumors in the throat. This is a serious problem, especially if accompanied by difficulty swallowing, hoarseness or a lump in the neck.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis based on symptoms and supported by the following tests:
* Nasofaringoskopi
* Laringoskopi
* Panendoskcopi (including laringoskopi, Oesophagoscopy and bronchoscopy).
* Biopsy
* CT scans, to help determine the tumor size, tumor spread into surrounding tissue or to the neck lymph nodes
* MRI scan
* Barium swallow is a series of X-rays taken after the patient swallows a liquid containing barium that could be seen on an X-ray. The tests were to assess the swallowing mechanism, and can describe the situation hipofaring.
* Chest X-rays are routinely done because smoking can cause lung cancer, emphysema, cancer and cancer of the larynx hipofaring. Chest X-rays also dilaukan to know the spread of cancer to the lungs.
* Routine Blood tests can help assess the patient as a whole.
Head and neck cancer treatment
Treatment depends on the stage of the cancer. Cancer stage I, wherever its location on the head and neck, gave similar responses to surgery and radiation therapy. Usually radiation is not only to cancer, but also to the lymph nodes in the neck left and right, because more than 20% of cancer spread to lymph nodes.
Some tumors, including tumors that have diameters of more than 2 cm and tumors that have infiltrated into the bone or cartilage, removed surgically. If cancer is found or suspected in the lymph nodes after surgery is usually followed by radiation therapy. In certain cases, radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy; if the cancer recurs surgery is usually performed. For advanced-stage cancer, a better prognosis if surgery is obtained and radiation therapy.
Chemotherapy kills cancer cells in the growth of cancer, lymph nodes and throughout the body. Not yet known whether combination chemotherapy with surgery or radiation therapy may improve cure rates, which would be the combination therapy prolong remission. If the cancer is too widespread to be treated with surgery or radiation therapy, to help reduce pain and tumor size can be done chemotherapy.
Treatment almost always cause side effects. Surgery always affects the process of swallowing and speaking, so people need to undergo rehabilitation. Radiation can cause skin changes (eg inflammation, itching and hair loss), the formation of scar tissue, loss of sense of taste and dry mouth.
Chemotherapy can cause nausea and vomiting, hair loss is temporary and inflammation of the lining of the stomach and intestines (gastroenteritis). Chemotherapy also causes a decrease in the number of red blood cells and white blood cells and cause immune system disorders that are temporary.
Prognosis
Tumor protruding tend to respond better to treatment than tumors that grow into the surrounding tissue, forming tumors ulcer / sore or hard tumors. If there is metastase, then the chance to survive until more than 2 years is bad. Cancer that spreads along the nerve, causing pain, paralysis or numbness, usually more aggressive and difficult to treat.
65% of patients the cancer has not spread to survive to 5 years, while if the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, only 30% of sufferers who survived to 5 years. Patients over the age of 70 years has a period of remission (disease free) which is longer and has a life expectancy better than the younger patients.
