NFL legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Irvin posted an emotional message on Instagram after spending two days in a Los Angeles hospital getting tested for throat cancer.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham has experts available to discuss prevention tips, treatment options and outcomes of cancers of the head and neck.
William Carroll, M.D.
Director, Head and Neck Oncology
Areas of expertise:
- Head and neck oncology
- Transoral robotic surgery (TORS)
Benjamin Greene, M.D.
Department of Otolaryngology
Areas of expertise:
- Head and neck oncology
- Microvascular reconstruction
- Facial nerve repair and rehabilitation
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, alcohol and tobacco are major risk factors for cancers of the head and neck. All tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars, pipes and smokeless tobacco (chewing tobacco, snuff, or a type of chewing tobacco called betel quid) are linked to head and neck cancer (except for salivary gland cancers). Drinking any type of alcohol, such as beer, wine, or liquor, also raises the risk of getting cancers of the mouth, throat, and voice box.
About 70 percent of cancers in the oropharynx (which includes the tonsils, soft palate, and base of the tongue) are linked to human papillomavirus (HPV), a common sexually transmitted virus.
Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week 2019 is April 7-14.
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