Back to All Services

Head & Neck Cancer Care

Cancers that are known collectively as head and neck cancers usually begin in the cells that line the moist, mucosal surfaces inside the head and neck (for example, inside the mouth, the nose, and the throat).

Alcohol and tobacco use (including smokeless tobacco, sometimes called “chewing tobacco” or “snuff”) are the two most important risk factors for head and neck cancers, especially cancers of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx. At least 75% of head and neck cancers are caused by tobacco and alcohol use.

People who use both tobacco and alcohol are at greater risk of developing these cancers than people who use either tobacco or alcohol alone. Infection with cancer-causing types of human papillomavirus (HPV), especially HPV type 16, is a risk factor for some types of head and neck cancers, particularly oropharyngeal cancers that involve the tonsils or the base of the tongue. In the United States, the incidence of oropharyngeal cancers caused by HPV infection is increasing, while the incidence of oropharyngeal cancers related to other causes is falling.

Head and neck cancers account for approximately 4% of all cancers in the United States. These cancers are more than twice as common among men as they are among women. Head and neck cancers are also diagnosed more often among people over age 50 than they are among younger people.

Researchers estimated that more than 65,000 men and women in this country would be diagnosed with head and neck cancers in 2017.

    Complete this secure online form to arrange for a Methodist Hospitals Cancer Center clinician to contact you:

    Please have a Methodist Hospitals Cancer clinician to call me at my: (Please check one box)

    Methodist Hospitals Cancer Center

    Need Further Assistance?

    Refer to our Contact page for location specific contact information and answers to the most frequently asked questions.

    Contact Us

    MyChart

    Manage appointments, get test results and more with MyChart.

    Learn More

    Find a Doctor

    Let us connect you with the doctors you are looking for.

    Find a Doctor

    Pay My Bill

    View and pay your bill; get help understanding insurance and obtaining financial assistance.

    Insurance & Financial Info