Prevention & Screening
By making lifestyle changes, people can greatly lower their risk of developing head and neck cancers. Even people who have been smoking for many years can substantially reduce the chances that they will develop one of these diseases by stopping the use of tobacco. People who already have a head and neck cancer can lower the possibility of developing a second cancer by as much as 40 to 60 percent. People who work in industries and settings where they may be exposed to substances known to increase the risks of head and neck cancer should wear protective face masks to minimize inhalation. Companies can also minimize their employees' exposure to workplace and industrial-related hazards by installing appropriate air-filtering mechanisms.
Smoking Cessation
Memorial Sloan-Kettering's Smoking Cessation Program can help smokers stop, whether they have cancer or just want to improve their overall health by quitting. Other groups offer programs and resources that help people take steps toward a healthy lifestyle. The Cancer Information Service (800-4-CANCER), American Lung Association, and American Cancer Society offer online resources, booklets, and referrals to local programs, as do Nicotine Anonymous and QuitNet.
Screening
Although there is no screening method proven to increase survival rates for people with these cancers, Memorial Sloan-Kettering's doctors advise that all individuals have a yearly physical examination of the head and neck and oropharynx (the middle section of the throat that includes the soft palate, the base of the tongue, and the tonsils) conducted by their primary care physician, as well as a yearly routine dental evaluation to include examination of the neck and inspection of the oropharynx and the mouth. To learn more, visit our Screening Guidelines for head and neck cancers.
Memorial Sloan-Kettering provides numerous prevention, screening, and wellness services. Our Head & Neck Disease Management Team organizes head and neck cancer screening days each year in the spring in conjunction with the Yul Brynner Foundation's Oral, Head & Neck Cancer Awareness Week as a free service to the community and to help increase awareness of head and neck cancers. For dates and location, visit our Public Events Calendar.
Precancers
Heavy smoking and drinking can change and damage the genetic makeup of squamous cells, the cells that form a thin outer layer over structures in the head and neck region. These cells may then become precancerous. Not all precancers will progress to cancer, but some do. In many cases, if people with precancers stop using alcohol and tobacco heavily, their precancers will go away. Memorial Sloan-Kettering investigators are looking for ways to prevent precancers from developing into cancers.
