Head & Neck Cancer

Detection & Diagnosis

100

These are two symptoms of head and neck cancer.

lump in neck, dysphagia, odynophagia, ulcer that won't heal, change in voice, otalgia, respiratory difficulties

200

Hoarseness and stridor are common symptoms of what type of head and neck cancer?

Laryngeal

300

This is the medical term for difficulty swallowing

Dysphagia

400

This type of procedure allows a doctor to examine the larynx without a direct line of sight. It involves using a small mirror and a light to reflect an image of the throat onto the mirror 

Indirect laryngoscopy

500

This type of biopsy is common in detecting head and neck tumors

Fine Needle Aspiration

Histology & Patterns of Spread

100

This lymphatic level contains the submental and submandibular nodes

Level I

200

80% of head and neck cancers are made up of this histology

Squamous cell carcinoma

300

The jugular or cervical lymph node changes lies beside this neck muscle

Sternocleidomastoid

400

Distant head and neck cancer mets primarily travel to this organ. 

Lungs

500

There are no lymphatics found in this structure of the neck.

True vocal cords

Risk factors

100

These two risk factors are the primary risk factors for developing head and neck cancer

Alcohol and tobacco use

200

This risk factor damages the muscosa, allowing carcinogens to interact with the tissue. It is also a main risk factor for pharyngeal and larynx tumors.

Alcohol

300

Exposure to this as a child is linked to thyroid tumors.

Radiation

400

This virus is associated with oral cavity and oropharynx cancers. 

Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)

500

This syndrome is a genetic risk factor for developing head and neck cancer. 

Bloom Syndrome or Li-Fraumeni Syndrome

Treatment Options

100

This type of treatment is often indicated when areas are inaccessible for surgery

Radiation Therapy

200

This type of neck dissection is no longer the standard of care. 

Radical neck dissection 

300

This type of resection is used for early stage tumors

en bloc or local resection 

400

This treatment is not given as a first-line/frontline therapy because of the poor health and nutritional status of H&N patients. 

Frontline chemotherapy

500

Along with platinum based agents, this type of chemotherapy is often used in the treatment of head and neck cancers. 

5-FU

Radiation Therapy

100

For a CT/simulation, a patient's chin would be extended for this type of head and neck cancer.

Larynx

200

This is used during a CT/simulation to identify the location of lymph node chains

Contrast

300

This type of field arrangement is typically used for 3D radiation treatments to the larynx

Opposed laterals 

400

This is the inferior border used for early stage laryngeal cancer. 

Cricoid cartilage

500

Involved head and neck lymph nodes are included in this target volume

GTV