Symptoms of Head and Neck Cancer

Head and neck cancer is cancer anywhere in the head or neck region.

• Head and neck cancer is the seventh most common cancer worldwide.

• Men and people who smoke are more likely to get head and neck cancer, but it also occurs in women and people who have never smoked.

The most common symptoms of head and neck cancer are pain or a new lump in the mouth, throat, or a lump in the neck.

Symptoms may vary depending on where the cancer is located.

Mouth cancer

• Stains inside the mouth that cannot be scraped off

• Sores on the lips or in the mouth that bleed easily and last more than 2 weeks

• Rough or crusty spots on the lips or inside the mouth.

• Bleeding in the mouth for no reason

• Pain, tenderness, or numbness in the mouth, face, and neck.

• Difficulty moving the jaw or tongue.

• Difficulty opening the mouth

• Problems chewing, swallowing or speaking.

• Chronic bad breath

• Earache

Throat cancer

• Sore throat that won’t go away

• Pain or difficulty swallowing

• Voice changes that don’t go away

• Hoarseness

• A lump in the back of the throat

• Feeling like something is stuck in your throat

• Unexplained choking

• Mass in the neck

Nose cancer

• Nasal congestion

• Nosebleeds

• Facial pain/numbness

• Difficulty breathing/loud breathing or speech

• Headaches

• Hearing loss

• Sensation of fullness in the ears

• Difficulty opening the mouth

• Ear infections that don’t go away

General symptoms

• Lump on the nape of the neck

• Unexplained weight loss

• Coughing up blood

• Swollen lymph nodes in the neck

• Fatigue

• Swelling in the jaw, neck, or side of the face.

• Frequent sinus infections that don’t go away with antibiotics

• Earache

• Progressive headaches that do not improve.

Cancer-related symptoms usually get worse over time.

If you have these symptoms or want more information about head and neck cancer, talk to your health care provider.

This educational resource was created with support from Daiichi Sankyo and Merck.