April is Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month

Join with the AACR to find better ways to prevent and treat head and neck cancer

Head and neck cancers usually begin in the squamous cells that line the mucosal surfaces inside the mouth, nose, throat, and salivary glands. These are referred to as squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck. Head and neck cancers also include less common cancers that occur in the salivary glands, sinuses, muscles, and nerves of the head and neck region. 

Head and neck cancers account for nearly 4% of all cancers in the United States, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The NCI estimates that about 71,110 cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx were diagnosed in the United States and 16,110 people died from these diseases in 2024. 

Head and neck cancer is more common among men than women. These cancers are diagnosed more often in people over age 50 than in younger people and more often in Asian individuals than in individuals of other races. Environmental exposures that can increase your risk for head and neck cancer include tobacco, alcohol, betel quid, wood dust, and radiation. Head and neck cancer can also be caused by certain strains of HPV or by the Epstein-Barr virus. 

Symptoms of head and neck cancer

Symptoms of head and neck cancer may include a sore throat that does not go away or a lump in the mouth or throat that does not heal. Hoarseness, trouble breathing, speaking, or swallowing, or unusual pain, swelling, or bleeding of the mouth, nose, and throat may also be signs of head and neck cancer.  

More on research in head and neck cancers

  • Urine tests might provide a simple, non-invasive method of detecting some types of head and neck cancer, according to recently published research. The AACR blog, Cancer Research Catalyst, breaks it down: Urine Tests: Can Detecting Cancer Become Easy Pee-sy?
  • At the AACR Annual Meeting 2024, researchers presented results from a clinical trial of a newly developed therapeutic cancer vaccine for patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Learn more about the results on Cancer Research Catalyst: Personalized Neoantigen Vaccines Boost Progress Against Aggressive Cancers.
  • In July 2023, the AACR and the American Head and Neck Society hosted a special conference on head and neck cancer, the third in a series. The meeting covered the latest research, including innovations in screening for cancers caused by HPV, use of immunotherapeutics before surgery, and improvements in radiation for solid tumors, among other developments. Cancer Research Catalyst has a report on the conference: AACR-AHNS Head and Neck Cancer Conference: Highlights from the Cutting Edge.

for more information

Please see our page on head and neck cancers. It includes links to information on the specific organ sites that make up the head and neck category.