Neck Cancer may not be dominating medical headlines and causing a huge stir, but it is very much part of the discussion. What is neck cancer? How can someone take the right steps to not only avoid growing it but spot the areas early for the best possible treatment?
Neck cancer does not typically start in the neck itself, which is essentially just muscle. Neck cancer begins in the deep recesses of the oral cavity and salivary glands. It will expand out to other parts of the head. So what may technically begin as pharynx cancer (a part of neck cancer) may ultimately grow out to be muscle, gland, or even brain cancer.
Neck cancer is actually a broad term used for a group of cancers. The group does not incorporate all types of cancer in the head. Traditionally, it does not include cancer that develops in the scalp, thyroid, or brain. It is easy to look at neck cancer as anything at the height of the nose and below to the shoulders. Anything else is likely its own category, as discussed above.
What causes it? There are quite literally thousands of things that are reported to cause cancer. Any cancer in the head is usually because of excessive tobacco use as well as alcohol. There are other aspects tied to cancer in this area. Excessive sun exposure to the skin and neck may cause skin cancer, which can indirectly lead to cancer the neck. Doctors are also stating that the human papilloma virus, famously referred to as HPV, is another leading cause. Intense allergies that go untreated may also lead to its development.
Treatment in this area is just like treatment with any other type of cancer. Patients may opt to go for chemotherapy or another type of radiation therapy. Thankfully, the symptoms are quite glaring. Excessive nosebleeds, difficulty swallowing for long periods of time, and any change in the texture or thickness of the neck could indicate the development of neck cancer. Visit the website Allen-ent.com for more on closely monitoring the head area and helping to thwart any growth of cancer.
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