Ear, nose or throat cancers

The mouth, nose and throat are the parts of the head and neck involved in breathing, speaking, eating and swallowing. Any part of the mouth, nose or throat may be affected by cancer. A cancer may start in the lining of the mouth, nose, pharynx or larynx, in the salivary glands or in the thyroid gland. The most common type of cancer in this area is called a squamous cell carcinoma. The squamous cells form part of the epithelium. Squamous cell carcinomas most often occur on the lip, the tongue, the floor of the mouth under the tongue or the area at the back of the mouth: the tonsils, soft palate or base of the tongue.