Head and Neck Cancers

The American Cancer Society estimates that in the United States, approximately 3-5 percent of all cancers will be in the head and neck region. In 2023, an estimated 54,540 Americans (39,290 men and 15,250 women) will develop head and neck cancers and 11,580 (8,140 men and 3,440 women) will die of the disease this year. These tumors can begin anywhere in the head and neck region. Treatment options are based on where a head and neck cancer starts (e.g., tongue vs. throat) because each tumor site responds to treatment type in different ways. The main two forms of treatment that can cure head and neck cancers are either radiation therapy or surgery. Sometimes, chemotherapy and/or targeted systemic therapy will be used together with radiation therapy to improve the chance that the cancer will not come back or spread to other parts of the body.