Head and neck cancers are a heterogeneous collection of malignancies of the upper aerodigestive tract, salivary glands and thyroid. The most common type of cancer in the head and neck is squamous cell carcinoma. It mainly originates from the mucosal space, which extends from the skull base to the proximal esophagus. The head and neck region is subdivided in the oral cavity, pharynx and larynx. The pharyngeal space contains the nasopharynx, oropharynx and hypopharynx and includes the tonsils, the floor of the mouth and the soft palate. Although head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is traditionally associated with smoking and alcohol drinking, a growing proportion of head and neck tumors, mainly of the oropharynx, are associated with human papilloma virus (HPV).
Category
Cancer
Brite
Human diseases in ICD-11 classification [BR:br08403]
02 Neoplasms
Malignant neoplasms, except primary neoplasms of lymphoid, haematopoietic, central nervous system or related tissues
Malignant neoplasms, stated or presumed to be primary, of specified sites, except of lymphoid, haematopoietic, central nervous system or related tissues
Malignant neoplasms of lip, oral cavity or pharynx
2B68 Malignant neoplasms of submandibular or sublingual glands
H02420 Head and neck cancer
2B69 Malignant neoplasms of tonsil
H02420 Head and neck cancer
2B6A Malignant neoplasms of oropharynx
H02420 Head and neck cancer
2B6E Malignant neoplasms of other or ill-defined sites in the lip, oral cavity or pharynx
H02420 Head and neck cancer
Malignant neoplasms of middle ear, respiratory or intrathoracic organs
2C23 Malignant neoplasms of larynx
H02420 Head and neck cancer
