Understanding The Stages Of Head And Neck Cancer

Dr Ashish Goel, Jaypee Hospital, shares the stages of head and neck cancer.

What is head and neck cancer? Head and neck cancer is treatable if diagnosed early and is easily preventable. The most common cause of neck and head cancer is the overconsumption of alcohol. In addition, human papillomavirus (HPV) is also a significant risk factor for some head and neck cancers. Head and neck cancer includes:

1. Oral cavity: lips, tongue, gums, the lining of the cheeks and lips, bottom and top of the mouth and behind the wisdom teeth are the most common.
2. Salivary glands produce saliva that keeps the mouth and throat moist. The primary glands are on the bottom of the mouth and near the jawbone.
3. Sinuses: the hollow spaces in between the bones surrounding the nose.
4. Nasal cavity, which is the hollow area inside the nose.
5. Oropharynx- pharynx, tonsil, the base of the tongue
6. Voicebox (larynx)
7. Ears
8. Bone tumour- jaw tumour, maxillary bone tumour

Despite their locations, head and neck malignancies don't typically relate to the thyroid, eye, or brain tumours.

How Can Staging Help?

Staging head and neck cancer can help determine the spread of the disease. Knowing the cancer stage helps the doctor explain cancer's degree. Additionally, it aids them in deciding how to proceed with various forms of treatment, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or surgery. After the physical examination and the preliminary outcomes of different diagnostic tests and imaging, the doctor will assign a stage for cancer.

Director Dr Ashish Goel, Department of Surgical Oncology, Jaypee Hospital, shares the stages of head and neck cancer

1. Stage 0 Head and Neck Cancer: It identifies atypical cells that have the potential to develop into cancer in the lining of the affected area.
2. Stage I Head and Neck Cancer: Is more significant than two centimetres but not more than four centimetres. Depth of invasion is less than 5mm, 5mm-10mm, and less than 10mm in different stages.
3. Stage II head and neck cancer are more prominent than four centimetres, and the lymph node is more minor than three centimetres.
4. Stage III Head and Neck Cancer: This is the most advanced stage of head and neck cancer.

No matter how giant the tumour is, it has already spread to:

1. Neighbouring tissue or other parts of the head and neck
2. One large lymph node (more than three centimetres in size) or one large lymph node on the side of the neck opposite the tumour.
3. Remote body parts, such as the lungs that are located outside of the head and neck

Head and neck cancer may already be in stage III when it is initially discovered. However, recurrent head and neck cancer is another possibility for stage III head and neck cancer. Recurrent refers to cancer that has returned following therapy. Regional recurrence refers to cancer returning to the area where it first appeared, while regional relapse refers to cancer returning to the lymph nodes or another area of the body (distant recurrence).

Head and neck cancers in stages III are more likely to return than tumours in early stages: Staging for head and neck cancer that is HPV positive For HPV-positive cancers, specialists in the head and neck have created a different staging system. This strategy reflects that cancers that are HPV-positive have a better prognosis than tumours that are HPV-negative.