What is cancer of the head and neck and prevalence

What is cancer of the head and neck and prevalence

Head and Neck Cancer
Under the denomination " head and neck carcinomas 'a lot of different incidence tumors, clinical, treatment and prognosis evolution pooled. Are:

Tumors of the paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity.
Cancer nasopharynx, oropharynx (tonsil, soft palate and tongue base), hypopharynx, larynx (supraglottis, glottis and subglottis).
Cancer of the oral cavity (oral mucosa, gingiva, hard palate, mobile tongue and floor of the mouth), lip and salivary glands.
The upper aerodigestive tract, skin tumors, tumors are excluded central nervous system and the thyroid .
This is an extraordinarily complex anatomical region, so that it has reached an agreement on the standardization of the different levels of the neck to unify criteria for treatment. They fall from level I to VI, and the limits are the base of the skull, clavicle and anterior border of the trapezius muscle.

Prevalence of head and neck cancer

Together, the head and neck cancers are the fifth most common malignancy and the third most prevalent tumor, only surpassed by breast cancer and the colon . Represents 7% of all new cases of cancer . The most common histology (80%) are epidermoid, and lymphomas, sarcomas, and can also be found melanomas .

The head and neck cancer is one of the fastest growing tumors whose incidence due to increased consumption of snuff and spirit . Worldwide more than half a million cases of head and neck (oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx and cancer accounted larynx ) a year, making it the seventh in frequency of total malignant tumors. Only in Spain are produced every year about 5,000 new cases. It is estimated that in 2020, the growth and aging of the population will lead to a doubling of the numbers, with over one million new cases and more than half a million deaths each year.

The gender distribution is four to one for males. In Spain it is the cause of 5% of all cancer deaths. This is the most common cancer among men over 55 years, the average age of onset is 60 years (lower if nasopharyngeal and salivary glands).

Experts predict that in a few years in men the risk of these tumors will decrease 2% increase in women (24% in the oral cavity, larynx in 37% and 67% in other locations mouth and throat), which responds to changes in social habits of consumption of snuff and spirit .