Head and Neck Cancer Surgery

Head and Neck Cancer Surgery

Remember that successful treatment of head and neck cancers depends on early diagnosis. Knowing some warning signs will save your life in head and neck cancer.

What are the warning symptoms?

Swelling in neck

Head and neck cancers often spread to the lymph nodes in the neck before spreading anywhere else in the body. Swelling in the neck that persists for more than 2 weeks should be seen by a doctor as soon as possible. Swelling or bumps may be the first sign of mouth, larynx, thyroid cancer, some lymphatic cancers, and blood cancer. Such swellings are usually painless and tend to grow gradually.

voice change

Many throat cancers cause voice changes. Hoarseness or voice changes lasting longer than 2 weeks should alert you. An Ear, Nose and Throat and head and neck specialist; can examine your vocal cords with easy and painless methods. Even if cancer is not the cause of every voice change, you should not leave it to chance. If your hoarseness lasts longer than 2 weeks, you should make sure that you do not have throat cancer and go to your doctor.

Sore on the tongue, oral cavity or lips

Most tongue and lip cancers cause persistent sores and swelling. Wounds and swellings are painless unless they become inflamed. Although bleeding may occur, it often does not occur until the later stages of the disease. This is extremely important if a wound or swelling accompanies a mass in the neck.

Bleeding

This is often due to a cause other than cancer. However, mouth, nose, throat and lung tumors can cause bleeding. If bleeding in saliva or sputum occurs for more than a few days, you should see a doctor.

swallowing problems

Cancers of the throat and esophagus make it difficult to swallow solid foods and sometimes liquids. At a certain point, food creates a stinging sensation and either goes to the stomach or comes back out of the mouth. In this case, you should consult a doctor. The cause is usually revealed by direct examination of the esophagus through an X-ray barium swallow film or a swallowed tube.

Changes in the skin

Skin cancer, which is very common in the head and neck, responds well to early treatment. Although it is most commonly seen in places where the skin is exposed to the sun, such as the forehead, face, and ears, it can occur anywhere on the skin. Skin cancer often starts as a small, pale sore that grows slowly and forms a sore in the middle. Color change is seen in some skin cancers.

Other types of cancer seen in the head and neck include; squamous cell cancer and malignant melanoma. Some squamous cell cancers are seen in the lower lip and ear. It is similar to skin cancer and does not usually become more dangerous if diagnosed early and treated appropriately. If there is a wound on the lip, face or ear that does not heal, pay attention.