Head and Neck Cancer—Patient Version
Head and neck cancers include cancers in the larynx, throat, lips, mouth, nose, and salivary glands. Tobacco use, heavy alcohol use, and infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) increase the risk of head and neck cancers. Explore the links on this page to learn more about the different types of head and neck cancer and how they are treated. We also have information about prevention, screening, research, clinical trials, and more. The Head and Neck Cancers fact sheet has additional basic information.
View a list of clinical trials to treat malignant head and neck neoplasms, or use the clinical trials search tool to find other trials and filter the results.
Adult Head and Neck Cancer Treatment
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Hypopharyngeal Cancer Treatment
Learn about the diagnosis and treatment of newly diagnosed and recurrent hypopharyngeal cancer in this expert-reviewed summary.
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Laryngeal Cancer Treatment
Learn about the diagnosis and treatment of newly diagnosed and recurrent laryngeal cancer in this expert-reviewed summary.
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Lip and Oral Cavity Cancer Treatment
Learn about the diagnosis and treatment of newly diagnosed and recurrent lip and oral cancer in this expert-reviewed summary.
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Metastatic Squamous Neck Cancer with Occult Primary Treatment
Learn about the diagnosis and treatment of metastatic squamous neck cancer with occult primary (unknown primary) in this expert-reviewed summary.
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Nasopharyngeal Cancer Treatment
Learn about newly diagnosed and recurrent nasopharyngeal cancer in this expert-reviewed summary.
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Oropharyngeal Cancer Treatment
Learn about newly diagnosed and recurrent oropharyngeal cancer in this expert-reviewed summary.
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Paranasal Sinus and Nasal Cavity Cancer Treatment
Learn more about the diagnosis and treatment of paranasal sinus and nasal cavity cancer in this expert-reviewed summary.
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Salivary Gland Cancer Treatment
Learn about the treatment for newly diagnosed and recurrent salivary gland cancer in this expert-reviewed summary.
Childhood Head and Neck Cancer Treatment
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Childhood Esthesioneuroblastoma
Learn about the symptoms of esthesioneuroblastoma in children and how it is diagnosed and treated.
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Childhood Laryngeal Tumors
Learn more about symptoms and causes of laryngeal tumors and how they are diagnosed and treated.
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Childhood Nasopharyngeal Cancer
Learn about the symptoms of childhood nasopharyngeal cancer and how it is diagnosed and treated.
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Childhood Oral Cavity Cancer
Learn about the symptoms and risk factors of oral cavity cancer and how it is diagnosed and treated.
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Childhood Salivary Gland Tumors
Learn about the symptoms and risk factors of childhood salivary gland tumors and how they are diagnosed and treated.
Additional Treatment Information
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Oral Complications of Cancer Therapies
Learn about preventing and managing problems like dry mouth, taste changes, pain, and infection in this expert-reviewed summary.
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Drugs Approved for Head and Neck Cancer
This page lists cancer drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for head and neck cancer. The list includes generic names and brand names.
Causes, Prevention, and Screening
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Oral Cavity, Oropharyngeal, Hypopharyngeal, and Laryngeal Cancers Prevention
Learn about preventing oral cavity, oropharyngeal, hypopharyngeal, and laryngeal cancers and their risk factors in this expert-reviewed summary.
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Oral Cavity and Nasopharyngeal Cancers Screening
Learn about screening for oral cavity and nasopharyngeal cancers and why routine screening has not been shown to reduce deaths in this expert-reviewed summary.
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Tobacco: Time to Stop
Find resources on the cancer risks associated with tobacco use and how to get help quitting.
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Alcohol and Cancer Risk
A fact sheet that summarizes the evidence linking alcohol consumption to the risk of various cancers.
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Smokefree.gov
Learn about the resources that the National Cancer Institute's Smokefree.gov website offers to help people become tobacco-free for good.
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HPV and Cancer
HPV causes six types of cancer. Learn more about how HPV is transmitted, the different types of HPV, and vaccines to prevent HPV.