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6. Changes in the skin The most common head and neck cancer is basal cell cancer of the skin. Fortunately, this is rarely a major problem if treated early. Basal cell cancers appear most often on sun-exposed areas like the forehead, face, and ears, although they can occur almost anywhere on the skin. Basal cell cancer often begins as a small, pale patch that enlarges slowly, producing a central “dimple” and eventually an ulcer. Parts of the ulcer may heal, but the major portion remains ulcerated. Some basal cell cancers show color changes. Other kinds of cancer, including squamous cell cancer and malignant melanoma, also occur on the skin of the head and neck. Most squamous cell cancers occur on the lower lip and ear.
Diagnosis
In order to examine throat and neck, the doctor may use a small mirror held at the back of your mouth. The doctor may also pass a nasendoscope (a very thin flexible tube with a light at the end) into nose to get a better view of the back of the mouth and throat.
These tests can be uncomfortable , but will only last a few minutes. Local anesthetic lozenge to suck, which numbs the mouth for a few minutes, or the area may be sprayed with an anesthetic spray, which numbs the back of throat.
The doctor can only make a definite diagnosis by taking a sample of cells from the abnormal area to examine under a microscope. This procedure is called a biopsy.
Sometimes the biopsy can be taken in the clinic. The affected area is first numbed with some local anesthetic. A small piece of the suspected cancer is then removed using a very fine needle or a special pair of tweezers (biopsy forceps).
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