[Epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment of head and neck cancers]

Abstract

Cancers of the upper aerodigestive tracts are the fourth most common cancer in France. The main risk factors are smoking and alcohol. They do not necessarily present specific signs, making their early diagnosis difficult. A change in the patient's general condition is a late sign leading to a poor prognosis of the disease.

Keywords: alcohol; alcool; cancer; chemotherapy; chimiothérapie; chirurgie; facteur de risque; radiotherapy; radiothérapie; risk factor; surgery; tabac; tobacco; upper aerodigestive tract; voie aérodigestive supérieure.