title: Examination of the patient with head and neck cancer.
abstract: Head and neck cancer typically refers to epithelial malignancies of the upper aerodigestive tract and may include neoplasms of the thyroid, salivary glands, and soft tissue, bone sarcomas, and skin cancers. Two-thirds of patients present with advanced disease involving regional lymph nodes at the time of diagnosis. A thorough history and detailed examination are integral to oncologic staging and treatment planning. This article begins with an overview of the head and neck examination (with special attention to detailed findings with clinical implications), followed by a discussion of the major head and neck subsites, and clinical pearls surrounding the examination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Temple University School of Medicine, 3440 North Broad Street, Kresge West 3rd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Georgopoulos
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Temple University School of Medicine, 3440 North Broad Street, Kresge West 3rd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA; Head and Neck Section, Fox Chase Cancer Center, 333 Cottman Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA. Electronic address: jeffrey.liu@temple.edu.
authors.forename: Jeffrey C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans
keywords: Larynx; Malignancies; Nasopharynx; Neck; Oral cavity; Oropharynx; Salivary