About head and neck cancers
This information is from the booklet Understanding head and
neck cancers. You may find the full booklet helpful. We can
send you a free copy – see page 6.
Contents
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What are head and neck cancers?
Mouth cancers (oral cancer)
Throat cancers
Rarer cancers of the head and neck
Head and neck cancers and cell type
What are head and neck cancers?
Head and neck cancers include cancers of the mouth
and the throat, as well as rarer cancers of the nose,
sinuses, salivary glands and middle ear.
People use the word ‘throat’ to mean different parts
of the neck. These include the:
•pharynx
•voicebox (larynx)
•thyroid gland
•food pipe (oesophagus)
•wind pipe (trachea).
When talking about throat cancers, doctors mean the pharynx
and larynx.
Cancers affecting the thyroid gland, oesophagus and trachea
are treated differently. We have more information on about
these types of cancer.
It is important to know what type of head and neck cancer
you have to make sure you have the right information.
Ask your doctor or specialist nurse if you are unsure.
Head and neck cancers do not include cancers affecting
the brain.
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Page 1 of 6
About head and neck cancers
We have separate information about cancer of the
thyroid, oesophagus, trachea, and brain tumours
that we can send you. Contact our support line on 0808
808 00 00 to order your free information.
Mouth cancers (oral cancers)
Mouth cancer can develop on the:
•lip
•tongue
•floor of the mouth (under the tongue)
•inside of the cheek
•roof of the mouth (the hard palate)
•area behind the wisdom teeth
•gum.
The most common places for cancer to develop inside the
mouth are the side of the tongue and the floor of the mouth.
The oral cavity
Top lip
Hard palate
Soft palate
Oropharynx
Right tonsil
Left tonsil
Tongue
Bottom lip
Page 2 of 6
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About head and neck cancers
Throat cancers
The pharynx
The pharynx is divided into three main parts (see diagram
on page 4):
Nasopharynx – this is the upper part of the pharynx,
behind the nose. Cancers that develop here are called
nasopharyngeal cancers.
Oropharynx – this is the middle part, behind the mouth.
It includes the soft part of the roof of the mouth (soft palate),
the base of the tongue (the part you can see), the tonsils
and the side walls of the throat. The most common places
in the oropharynx for cancer to develop are the tonsils and
the base of the tongue. Cancers that develop here are called
oropharyngeal cancers.
Hypopharynx – this is the lower part of the pharynx.
Cancers in this area are called hypopharyngeal cancers.
We have more information about cancers of the
nasopharynx and oropharynx that we can send you.
Call our support line on 0808 808 00 00
Questions about cancer? Ask Macmillan 0808 808 00 00 www.macmillan.org.uk
Page 3 of 6
About head and neck cancers
The voice box (larynx)
This is a short passageway in front of the lower pharynx
(hypopharynx). It contains the vocal cords.
We have more information about cancer of the larynx
and how it is treated.
The cross section of the head
Paranasal sinus
Nasal
cavity
Paranasal sinus
Nasopharynx
Tongue
Floor of
mouth
Oropharynx
Pharynx
Hypopharynx
Larynx
Page 4 of 6
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About head and neck cancers
Rarer cancers of the head and neck
Cancer of the sinuses (paranasal sinuses)
There are air spaces called sinuses in the bones of the face,
alongside the cheekbone and nose. Cancers can develop
in the lining of these sinuses.
Cancer of the salivary glands
Salivary glands make saliva, which keeps the mouth moist.
There are three major pairs of salivary glands:
•parotid glands – which are on each side of the face,
just in front of the ears
•submandibular glands – which are under each side
of the jawbone
•sublingual glands – which are under the floor of the mouth
and below either side of the tongue.
Salivary gland cancer is most likely to develop in the
parotid glands.
Cancer of the middle ear
Rarely, cancer can develop in the middle ear. The middle ear
is made up of the eardrum and a cavity called the tympanum,
which contains three little bones (the malleus, incus, and
stapes). These bones connect the eardrum to the inner ear.
The tympanum is connected to the nasopharynx by a tube
called the Eustachian tube.
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Page 5 of 6
About head and neck cancers
Head and neck cancers and cell type
Head and neck cancers are also described according
to the type of cell the cancer started in.
Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)
The most common type of head and neck cancer is squamous
cell carcinoma. About 9 out of 10 head and neck cancers
(90%) start in squamous cells, which are the cells lining
the mouth, nose and throat.
Other cell types
A small number of head and neck cancers develop from other
types of cells:
•Lymphomas develop from white blood cells called
lymphocytes.
•Adenocarcinomas develop from cells that line the glands
in the body.
•Sarcomas develop from the cells that make up muscles,
cartilage, bone or blood vessels.
More information and support
More than one in three of us will get cancer. For most of us
it will be the toughest fight we ever face. And the feelings
of isolation and loneliness that so many people experience
make it even harder. But you don’t have to go through it alone.
The Macmillan team is with you every step of the way.
To order a copy of Understanding head and neck cancers
or any other cancer information, visit be.macmillan.org.
uk or call 0808 808 00 00.
We make every effort to ensure that the information we
provide is accurate and up to date but it should not be
relied upon as a substitute for specialist professional advice
tailored to your situation. So far as is permitted by law,
Macmillan does not accept liability in relation to the use
of any information contained in this publication, or thirdparty information or websites included or referred to in it.
© Macmillan Cancer Support 2013. Registered charity in
England and Wales (261017), Scotland (SC039907) and the
Isle of Man (604). Registered office 89 Albert Embankment,
London, SE1 7UQ
REVISED IN JULY 2015
Planned review in 2018
Page 6 of 6
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