Font size

Email to a Friend

Substitute Nav goes here.

> Home > Head & Neck Cancer > About Head and Neck Cancer

Head & Neck Cancer About Head and Neck Cancer Risk Factors Screening Treatment Options Questions to Ask Useful Links

About Head and Neck Cancer: Get the Facts

Head and Neck Cancer Statistics

According to the National Cancer Institute:

The overall five-year survival rate for people with cancer of the oral cavity and pharynx is approximately 59%.
Tobacco, including smokeless tobacco such as chewing tobacco or snuff, is thought to be the cause of 85% of all head and neck cancers, especially cancer of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx and larynx.
People who use both tobacco and alcohol are at greater risk for developing cancers of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx and larynx than people who use either tobacco or alcohol alone.
3%-5% of all cancers in the United States are types of head and neck cancer.
Head and neck cancer is most common in men and people over age 50.
An estimated 39,000 American men and women developed head and neck cancer in 2005.

What Is Head and Neck Cancer?

Head and neck cancer includes different types of cancer that can develop in the mouth, nose and throat. Head and neck tumors are made up of different types of cells. Most types of head and neck cancer are considered squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (SCCHN), while some are considered adenocarcinoma.

Types of Head and Neck Cancer

The different types of head and neck cancer are identified by where they begin:

Pharynx: The pharynx is located between the esophagus and the mouth. Cancer of the pharynx can occur in any of the pharynx's three parts:
- Nasopharynx: Upper part of the pharynx behind the nose
- Oropharynx: Middle part of the pharynx that includes the back of the mouth, tonsils and base of the tongue
- Hypopharynx: Lower part of the pharynx

Oral Cavity: Cancer of the oral cavity occurs in the lips, gums, lining of the lips and cheeks, bony top of the mouth, small area behind wisdom teeth, front part of the tongue, or underneath the tongue.

Salivary Glands: Cancer of the salivary glands occurs mostly in the bottom of the mouth, near the jawbone.
Paranasal Sinuses and Nasal Cavity: Cancer of the paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity occur in the sinuses around the nose or the nasal cavity.

Larynx: The larynx, or voice box, is the short pathway below the pharynx in the neck and includes the vocal cords and epiglottis.

Lymph Nodes in the Upper Neck: Sometimes head and neck cancer is found exclusively in the lymph nodes in the upper neck. This type of cancer is known as locally advanced incarcinoma with unknown origin.

Head and neck cancer should not be confused with cancers of the thyroid, brain, or other areas of the head and neck like the eyes, scalp, skin, bones and muscles.

Learn more about head and neck cancer:

Chemotherapy can be managed through education preparation. To be better equipped to help yourself and your family, visit the Helpful Resource section.

Important Safety Information

WARNING: Taxotere® treatment can cause serious, physically limiting, and potentially life-threatening side effects, such as infection, low blood-cell counts, allergic reaction, and retention of excess fluid (edema).

Taxotere® should not be given to patients with low white–blood-cell counts, abnormal liver function, or a history of allergic reactions to Taxotere® or any of the ingredients in Taxotere®.

Before each Taxotere® treatment, all patients treated with Taxotere® must receive another medicine called dexamethasone. This drug can help reduce the risk of fluid retention (edema) and allergic reactions.

Taxotere® should be administered only under the supervision of a qualified physician experienced in the use of anticancer treatments. Appropriate management of complications is possible only when adequate diagnostic and treatment facilities are readily available.

Treatment-related acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or myelodysplasia has occurred in patients given anthracyclines and/or cyclophosphamide, including use with Taxotere® in adjuvant therapy for breast cancer.

The most common severe side effects are low white–blood-cell count, anemia, fatigue, diarrhea, and mouth and throat irritation. Low white–blood-cell count can lead to life-threatening infections. The earliest sign of infection may be fever, so tell your doctor right away if you have a fever.

Other common side effects from Taxotere® include nausea, vomiting, hair loss, rash, infusion-site reactions, odd sensations (such as numbness, tingling, or burning) or weakness in the hands and feet, nail changes, muscle and/or bone pain, or excessive tearing.

Because of the potential risk of fetal harm, pregnant women should not receive Taxotere®. Women of childbearing potential should avoid becoming pregnant during treatment with Taxotere®.

Before receiving Taxotere®, tell your doctor if

You have any allergies
You are taking any other medicines — including nonprescription (over-the-counter) drugs, vitamins, and dietary or herbal supplements

When taking Taxotere®, contact your doctor if

You have symptoms of an allergic reaction (warm sensation, tightness in your chest, itching/hives, or shortness of breath)
You experience any other side effects

Please see adjacent page for patient information leaflet for detailed information about these side effects, and talk to your doctor about any questions you may have.

Taxotere Indications

Breast Cancer
TAXOTERE® is indicated for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer after failure of prior chemotherapy
TAXOTERE® in combination with doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide is indicated for the adjuvant treatment of patients with operable node-positive breast cancer

Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
TAXOTERE®, as a single agent, is indicated for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after failure of prior platinum-based chemotherapy
TAXOTERE® in combination with cisplatin is indicated for the treatment of patients with unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC who have not previously received chemotherapy for this condition.

Prostate Cancer
TAXOTERE® in combination with prednisone is indicated for the treatment of patients with androgen independent (hormone refractory) metastatic prostate cancer.

Gastric Cancer
TAXOTERE® in combination with cisplatin and flouroucil is indicated for the treatment of patients with advanced gastric adenocercinoma, including adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction, who have not received prior chemotherapy for advanced disease.

Head and neck Cancer
TAXOTERE® in combination with cisplatin and flourouracil is indicated for the induction treatment of patients with locally advanced squamous cell cercinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN).