As many as 90 percent of head and neck cancers arise after prolonged exposure to specific factors. Use of tobacco (cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco or snuff) and alcoholic beverages are closely linked with cancers of the mouth, throat, voice box and tongue. (In adults who neither smoke nor drink, cancer of the mouth and throat are nearly nonexistent.) Prolonged exposure to sunlight is linked with cancer of the lip and is also an established major cause of skin cancer.

A mass or lump sometimes indicates a serious problem, such as a growth or cancer. While this is not always the case, the presence of a mass may require Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) for diagnosis. FNA is a technique that allows a biopsy of various bumps and lumps. It allows our otolaryngologists to retrieve enough tissue for microscopic analysis and thus make an accurate diagnosis of a number of problems, such as inflammation or even cancer. Your age, sex, and habits, such as smoking and drinking, are also important factors that help diagnosis of a mass. Symptoms of ear pain, increased difficulty swallowing, weight loss, or a history of familial thyroid disorder or of previous skin cancer (squamous cell carcinoma) may be important as well. When found early, most cancers in the head and neck can be cured with relatively little difficulty. Cure rates for these cancers could be greatly improved if people would seek medical advice as soon as possible.

However, a lump in the neck, a change in your voice, the onset of swallowing problems or changes in your skin's appearance can also occur with no cancer present. In fact, many times complaints of these types will be due to some other condition. But you can't tell without an examination, so play it safe, and seek diagnosis and treatment for such symptoms as soon as possible.

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