Tumors of the mouth, tongue, throat, and larynx (voice box) can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). The most common cancers of the head and neck region are called squamous cell carcinomas. These are usually (but not always) associated with heavy tobacco and alcohol intake. More recently, an association with the human papilloma virus (HPV) has been established.
Symptoms of these tumors will vary depending on their location. In fact, some tumors of the head and neck do not cause any symptoms until quite advanced. Malignant tumors of the mouth and tongue may present with difficult or painful swallowing, or a persistent mouth lesion that bleeds or will not heal. Tumors of the larynx (voice box) may cause hoarseness, shortness of breath, difficulty with swallowing, or a bloody productive cough.
Depending on the stage of the tumor, squamous cell cancers are typically treated with surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation (or a combination of 2 or 3 modalities). Your Otolaryngologist will discuss all of the available options.