Most often, head and neck cancers are discovered after a patient has sought treatment for symptoms that may have become problematic. However, they may be found during routine exams by a doctor or dentist.

If further evaluation is required, patients will be referred to an ear, nose and throat specialist or a head and neck surgeon.

Additional tests by an ear, nose and throat specialist could include a panendoscopy, biopsy, HPV testing or imaging.

Staging of head and neck cancer includes the location of the primary tumor, the size or extent of the tumor, whether the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes and whether the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, also known as TNM staging. TNM classifications are then combined to determine the stage, ranging from stage 1 through 4, with stage 4 being the most advanced.