Head, Neck and Throat Cancer Symptoms

Alternate Names:

• Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the nasal cavity, sinuses, lips, mouth, nose, tonsils, tongue, throat, or larynx (voice box)
• Adenocarcinoma of the nasal cavity, sinuses, lips, mouth, nose, tonsils, tongue, throat, or larynx (voice box)
• Squamous Cell Cancer of the nasal cavity, sinuses, lips, mouth, nose, tonsils, tongue, throat, or larynx (voice box)
• Metastatic Squamous Cell Neck Cancer; Metastatic Squamous Cell Neck Carcinoma; Head and Neck Carcinomas.

The U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) has included Head and Neck Cancers with distant metastasis or inoperable or unresectable as a Compassionate Allowance to expedite a disability claim.

Main Content

Head and neck cancers are strongly associated with environmental and lifestyle risk factors, including tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, and certain sexually transmitted human papillomavirus strains. Using tobacco or alcohol increases your risk. Eighty-five percent of head and neck cancers are linked to tobacco use, including smoking and smokeless tobacco. Head and neck cancers symptoms include:

• Ear ache
• Neck pain
• Bad breath
• Sore tongue
• Mass in the neck
• Bleeding from the mouth
• Difficulty swallowing food
• Change in diet or weight loss
• Lump in the lip, mouth or gums
• Enlarged lymph glands in the neck
• Unusual bleeding or numbness in the mouth
• Sore throat which persists for more than six weeks
• Hoarse voice which persists for more than six weeks
• Painless ulcer or sores in the mouth that do not heal
• Slurring of speech (if the cancer is affecting the tongue)
• White, red or dark patches in the mouth that will not go away
• Sinus congestion, especially with nasopharyngeal carcinoma

The following may be used to diagnose the disease: physical exam and history, endoscopy, laboratory tests including blood and urine analysis, x-rays, CT scan, biopsy, MRI, and PET scan.

Head and neck cancer are highly curable if detected early, usually with surgery, although chemotherapy and radiation therapy may also play an important role.

Treatment may include surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. These treatments may affect eating, speaking, or even breathing.

Author Credentials: Ian is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, a leading resource for news and information on disability issues. With a global perspective shaped by years of travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed proponent of the Social Model of Disability-a transformative framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that emphasizes dismantling societal barriers rather than focusing solely on individual impairments. His work reflects a deep commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.