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Cancer of the Head and Neck

The term head and neck cancer is commonly used to specifically denote tumors arising from the mucosal lining of the vocal tract—namely, squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity, nose, nasopharynx, pharynx, and larynx. The term also encompasses the carcinomas of the salivary glands, such as adenoid cystic carcinomas or pleomorphic adenomas. However, tumors of the nervous system, skin, eye, or thyroid are not included in the category of head and neck cancer. This entry discusses the characteristics, assessment, and treatment of head and neck cancer.

Characteristics and Assessment of Head and Neck Cancer

The incidence and clinical course of head and neck cancer is affected by geographic and sociodemographic factors. Globally, cancer of the head and neck is among the top 10 most frequent cancers in ...

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