Healthy Habits: Oral, Head, and Neck Cancer Awareness

Some of our culture’s famous figures have died from oral, head, or neck cancer – from Babe Ruth to Sammy Davis, Jr. to George Harrison. But there are also those who survived, like Michael Douglas and Jim Kelly. And working with patients and survivors for over two decades is The Head and Neck Cancer Alliance, who launch their 22nd Annual Oral, Head, and Neck Cancer Awareness Week (OHANCA) in April.
The HNCA can trace its roots to Yul Brynner, who made an anti-smoking commercial that aired after his death. Brynner also established the Yul Brynner Foundation, which in 1997 merged with the Association for Head and Neck Cancer Awareness, founded by Dr. Terry Day.
According to HNCA’s executive director Amanda Hollinger, OHANCA will highlight the non-profit organization’s ongoing efforts in providing treatment, support, educational resources, and information about prevention. “There’s a strong link between HPV and oral and throat cancer,” Hollinger explains, “so we’re actively focusing on informing people about the HPV vaccine, tying in prevention as well as helping spread awareness of HPV.” Though no simple test can offer a definitive diagnosis, the OHANCA clinics and screening events do have an impact, as Hollinger estimates about 10% of people who are screened get referrals for further examination or treatment. “It’s a good first step,” she says.
This year’s celebrity spokesperson is voice actor Rob Paulsen – a legend in his field, and the talent behind such classic animated characters as Yakko in “Animaniacs,” Pinky in “Pinky and the Brain,” and Donatello in “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.” “Rob is so special because his voice is his livelihood, and it connects him to so many generations of people,” says Hollinger.

I had a chance to interview Elizabeth Langdon, VP, Strategic Communication & Development, to learn more.
Why is it important for people to be aware of oral, head, and neck cancers?
Oral, head and neck cancer is the 6th most common cancer by incidence worldwide. In 2020, it is estimated that 650,000 people will be affected by head and neck cancer worldwide, with 330,000 deaths. In the United States, 65,000 new diagnoses will be made this year, with 14,600 deaths. Unfortunately, many Americans do not recognize the symptoms of this life-threatening group of diseases, which include cancers of the oral cavity (mouth), larynx (voice box), pharynx (throat), sinuses, nasal cavity or salivary glands, and by the time they are diagnosed, the cancer has begun to spread. This is why knowing the symptoms and early detection are so important.

Are there risk factors that may increase the chance of getting one of these types of cancers?
Tobacco (including smokeless tobacco) and alcohol use are very strong risk factors for oral, head and neck cancer, particularly those of the tongue, mouth, throat and voice box. People who use both tobacco and alcohol are at greater risk for developing these cancers than people who use either tobacco or alcohol alone.
Human Papillomavirus (HPV), the same virus that is responsible for cervical cancer in women, is also a risk factor for head and neck cancer. Researchers have correlated the rising incidence of head and neck cancer with HPV infection. Rates of throat cancer in young and middle-aged adults, a group traditionally at low risk for head and neck cancer, has been increasing at a rapid pace since the 1980s. Researchers now know there is a direct link to HPV, a potentially cancer-causing virus that can be transmitted through oral sex. Currently about 70% percent of cancers of the throat (including tonsils and base of the tongue) are caused by HPV. In 2018, HPV-associated throat cancer surpassed cervical cancer as the most common HPV-related cancer in the U.S.

What might be some symptoms that people would notice when it comes to these types of cancers?
Symptoms include:
• Lump or a sore in the mouth, throat or neck that does not heal
• A white or red patch on the gums, the tongue, or the lining of the mouth
• A sore throat that does not go away
• Difficulty or pain when swallowing
• Change or hoarseness in the voice
• Swelling of the jaw
• Unusual bleeding in the mouth
• Trouble breathing or speaking
• Pain in the mouth, neck, throat, upper teeth, face, or chin that does not go away that does not go away
• Frequent headaches
• Pain or ringing in the ears, or trouble hearing
• Sinuses that are blocked and do not clear, or chronic sinus infections that do not respond to treatment with antibiotics
• Bleeding through the nose
• Swelling or other trouble with the eyes;
• Numbness or paralysis of the muscles in the face

Screens are currently postponed, but please visit their links for more information and to find out when screenings will be available:

HNCA Website

Event Listeing

Locations