Many head and neck cancers are diagnosed at advanced stages. However, their symptoms are identifiable and a better knowledge of these could allow patients to be screened earlier.
Sixty percent of patients diagnosed with advanced head and neck cancers die from the disease within five years. The issue of screening is therefore crucial. These cancers, also called ENT or upper aerodigestive tract cancers (VADS), are the seventh leading cause of cancer death in Europe. This is a set of malignant tumors located in the nasal cavities, pharynx, hypopharynx, oral cavity, larynx and cervical esophagus. A few factors would favor the disease, such as alcohol consumption – more than three glasses a day for men and two glasses a day for women – tobacco, poor dental condition or even the inhalation of toxic products. (industrial vapours, cement, tar, etc.). When these cancers are detected at an advanced stage, they are generally very aggressive. In contrast, the survival rate for patients diagnosed at an early stage is 80-90%. On average, men are more affected than women by these types of pathologies.
If a symptom lasts more than three weeks, consult
Treatments offered for head and neck cancer include surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy. They can have very inconvenient effects for patients. Nevertheless, these are now attenuated — and increasingly better thanks to technological advances — by functional or plastic reconstruction techniques. For example, a patient may benefit from reconstruction of the tongue muscle. And, as with many pathologies, the earlier treatment begins, the greater the chances of survival and remission. However, too many ENT cancers are still diagnosed at an advanced stage. This represents ⅔ of the cases. A significant proportion while screening seems rather simple because the symptoms of these cancers are easily identifiable. These include loss of voice, hoarseness, nosebleeds, ear pain, sore throat, lumps in the neck or canker sores. If at least one of these symptoms lasts more than three weeks, the patient must consult a head and neck specialist as this may be a sign of ENT cancer. If this method, called “one for three”, were systematically applied by general practitioners to refer their patients or if it were better known by them, it could allow earlier diagnosis. And therefore, faster support.
A campaign to encourage early detection
It is precisely to raise awareness among the general public and health professionals that the Make Sense campaign “Together let’s take cancer by the throat” is taking place, which takes place from 21 to 25 September. Supported by the European Head & Neck Society (EHNS), the objective of this event is to inform and encourage early diagnosis. Videos will be broadcast on social networks every day with, each time, a new theme. Topics such as the different types of cancer, treatment, follow-up, rehabilitation, innovation, personalized pathways, etc. will be discussed. They will all be available on the YouTube channel of the Marseille University Hospitals (AP-HM).
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