Common Cancers & Symptoms

Cancers which begin in the squamous cells that line the moist, mucosal surfaces inside the head & neck (inside the mouth, nose, throat etc) are collectively known as Head & Neck Cancers. These squamous cell cancers are often referred to as squamous cell carcinomas of head and neck.

Cancers of the head and neck are further categorized by the area of the head or neck in which they begin. These areas are described below and labeled in the image of head and neck cancer regions.

Oral cavity: Includes the lips, the front two-thirds of the tongue, the gums, the lining inside the cheeks and lips, the floor (bottom) of the mouth under the tongue, the hard palate (bony top of the mouth), and the small area of the gum behind the wisdom teeth.

Pharynx: The pharynx (throat) is a hollow tube about 5 inches long that starts behind the nose and leads to the esophagus. It has three parts: the nasopharynx (the upper part of the pharynx, behind the nose); the oropharynx (the middle part of the pharynx, including the soft palate {the back of the mouth}, the base of the tongue, and the tonsils); the hypopharynx (the lower part of the pharynx).

Larynx: The larynx, also called the voicebox, is a short passageway formed by cartilage just below the pharynx in the neck. The larynx contains the vocal cords. It also has a small piece of tissue, called the epiglottis, which moves to cover the larynx to prevent food from entering the air passages.

Paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity: The paranasal sinuses are small hollow spaces in the bones of the head surrounding the nose. The nasal cavity is the hollow space inside the nose.

Salivary glands: The major salivary glands are in the floor of the mouth and near the jawbone. The salivary glands produce saliva.

Cancers of the brain, the eye, the esophagus, and the thyroid gland, as well as those of the scalp, skin, muscles, and bones of the head and neck, are not usually classified as head and neck cancers.

Sometimes, cancerous squamous cells can be found in the lymph nodes of the upper neck when there is no evidence of cancer in other parts of the head and neck .When this happens, the cancer is called metastatic squamous neck cancer with unknown (occult) primary. More information about this cancer type can be found in Metastatic Squamous Neck Cancer with Occult Primary (PDQ®).

To book an appointment visit: Head & Neck Cancer Treatment

The cancer that forms in the tissues of the breast is known as breast cancer. The most common type of breast cancer is ductal carcinoma, which begins in the lining of the milk ducts (thin tubes that carry milk from the lobules of the breast to the nipple). Another type of breast cancer is lobular carcinoma, which begins in the lobules (milk glands) of the breast. Invasive breast cancer is breast cancer that has spread from where it began in the breast ducts or lobules to surrounding normal tissue. Breast cancer occurs in both men and women, although male breast cancer is rare.

To book an appointment visit: Breast Cancer Treatment

Cancer that forms in tissues of the bladder (the organ that stores urine) is known as Bladder Cancer. Most bladder cancers begin In cells that make up the inner lining of the bladder. Other types include squamous cell carcinoma (cancer that begins in thin, flat cells) and adenocarcinoma (cancer that begins in cells that make and release mucus and other fluids). The cells that form squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma develop in the inner lining of the bladder as a result of chronic irritation and inflammation.

Colon Cancer: Cancer that forms in the tissues of the colon (the longest part of the large intestine). Most colon cancers are adenocarcinomas (cancers that begin in cells that make and release mucus and other fluids).

To book an appointment visit: Colon Cancer Treatment

Rectal Cancer: Cancer that forms in the tissues of the rectum (the last several inches of the large intestine closest to the anus).

Cancer that forms in the tissue lining the uterus is known as Endometrial Cancer. Most endometrial cancers are adenocarcinomas (cancers that begin in cells that make and release mucus and other fluids).
To book an appointment visit: Endometrial Cancer Treatment

Cancer that forms in tissues of the kidneys is known as Kidney Cancer. Kidney cancer includes renal cell carcinoma (cancer that forms in the lining of very small tubes in the kidney that filter the blood and remove waste products) and renal pelvis carcinoma (cancer that forms in the center of the kidney where urine collects). It also includes Wilms tumor, which is a type of kidney cancer that usually develops in children under the age of 5.

Cancer that forms in tissues of the lung, usually in the cells lining air passages, is known as Lung Cancer. The two main types are small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. These types are diagnosed based on how the cells look under a microscope.
To book an appointment visit: Lung Cancer Treatment

Leukemia is Cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue, such as the bone marrow, and causes large numbers of abnormal blood cells to be produced and enter the bloodstream.
To book an appointment visit: Leukemia Cancer Treatment

Melanoma is a form of cancer that begins in melanocytes (cells that make the pigment melanin). It may begin in a mole (skin melanoma), but can also begin in other pigmented tissues, such as in the eye or in the intestines.

Any of a large group of cancers of lymphocytes (white blood cells) are call Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. Non-Hodgkin lymphomas can occur at any age and are often marked by lymph nodes that are larger than normal, fever, and weight loss. There are many different types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. These types can be divided into aggressive (fast-growing) and indolent (slow-growing) types, and they can be formed from either B-cells or T-cells. B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas include Burkitt lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, immunoblastic large cell lymphoma, precursor B-lymphoblastic lymphoma, and mantle cell lymphoma. T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas include mycosis fungoides, anaplastic large cell lymphoma, and precursor T-lymphoblastic lymphoma. Lymphomas that occur after bone marrow or stem cell transplantation are usually B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas. Prognosis and treatment depend on the stage and type of disease. They are also called NHL.
To book an appointment visit: Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Cancer Treatment

A disease in which malignant (cancer) cells are found in the tissues of the pancreas is known as Pancreatic Cancer. It is also called exocrine cancer.

To book an appointment visit: Pancreatic Cancer Treatment

Cancer that forms in tissues of the prostate (a gland in the male reproductive system found below the bladder and in front of the rectum) is known as Prostate Cancer. Prostate cancer usually occurs in older men.

To book an appointment visit: Prostate Cancer Treatment

Cancer that forms in the thyroid gland (an organ at the base of the throat that makes hormones that help control heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and weight) is known as Thyroid Cancer. Four main types of thyroid cancer are papillary, follicular, medullary, and anaplastic thyroid cancer. The four types are based on how the cancer cells look under a microscope.
To book an appointment visit: Thyroid Cancer Treatment