Head & Neck Cancer Care at Wellstar Georgia Cancer Center

Expert Head & Neck Cancer Care

If you or a family member has head or neck cancer, you can count on the experienced cancer care team at Wellstar Georgia Cancer Center. We’re home to a cohesive, multidisciplinary team of experts. Our physicians are highly skilled in the latest treatments for head and neck cancers, including endocrine surgery.

Find it early and be cured

In the U.S., more than half a million people die from diseases caused by smoking, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While more Americans have quit smoking, some people switched to smokeless or spit tobacco, assuming they were safe alternatives. Unfortunately, that’s not true. While lung cancer diagnoses are down, head and neck cancer diagnoses are growing. However, these cancers are curable if caught early and many produce early symptoms.

Recognize the signs of head & neck cancer

Symptoms and signs can occur even when no cancer is present. While some symptoms may be related to other conditions, always consult with your physician.

• A lump in the neck: Cancers that begin in the head or neck usually spread to lymph nodes in the neck before they spread elsewhere. Anyone with a lump in their neck that lasts more than two weeks should see a physician as soon as possible. While not all lumps are cancer, a lump (or lumps) in the neck can be the first sign of cancer of the mouth, throat, voice box (larynx), thyroid gland or certain lymphomas or blood cancers. Such lumps are generally painless and continue to steadily enlarge.
• Change in the voice: Most cancers in the larynx cause some change in the voice. Any hoarseness or other voice change lasting more than two weeks should alert you to see your physician. A head and neck specialist—also known as an otolaryngologist or ear, nose and throat (ENT) physician—can examine your vocal cords easily and painlessly. If you are hoarse for over two weeks, see your doctor.
• A growth in the mouth: Most cancers of the mouth or tongue cause a sore or swelling that doesn't go away. These sores and swellings may be painless unless they become infected. Bleeding may occur, but often not until late in the disease. If an ulcer or swelling is accompanied by lumps in the neck, call your dentist or doctor, who can determine if a biopsy is needed and can refer you to a head and neck surgeon to perform this procedure.
• Bringing up blood: This is often caused by something other than cancer. However, tumors in the nose, mouth, throat or lungs can cause bleeding. If blood appears in your saliva or phlegm for more than a few days, you should see your physician.
• Swallowing problems: Cancer of the throat or esophagus may make swallowing solid foods difficult. Sometimes liquids can be troublesome, and food may "stick" at a certain point before passing through to the stomach or coming back up. If you have trouble almost every time you try to swallow something, you should be examined by a physician. Usually, a barium swallow X-ray or an exam of the esophagus with a telescope will be performed to find the cause.
• Changes in the skin:
• The most common head and neck cancer is basal cell cancer of the skin. Fortunately, this can be treated successfully when found early. Basal cell cancers appear most often on sun-exposed areas like the forehead, face and ears, although they can occur almost anywhere on the skin. Basal cell cancer often begins as a small, pale patch that enlarges slowly, producing a central dimple and eventually an ulcer. Parts of the ulcer may heal, but the major portion remains ulcerated. Some basal cell cancers show color changes.
• Other kinds of cancer also occur on the skin of the head and neck. Most squamous cell cancers occur on the lower lip and ear. They may look like basal cell cancers and if caught early and properly treated, usually are not much more dangerous. If there is a sore on the lip, lower face or ear that does not heal, consult a physician.
• Malignant melanoma classically produces dense blue-black or black discolorations of the skin. However, any mole that changes size, color or begins to bleed may is a concern. A black or blue-black spot on the face or neck, particularly if it changes size or shape, should be seen as soon as possible by a dermatologist or other physician.
• Persistent earache: Constant pain in or around the ear when you swallow can be a sign of infection or tumor growth in the throat. This is particularly serious if it is associated with difficulty in swallowing, hoarseness or a lump in the neck. These symptoms are best evaluated by an ENT.