The short answer
Head and neck cancers are grouped by where they start: the mouth, throat, voice box, sinuses and nasal cavity, or salivary glands. Most are squamous cell carcinomas. Oropharyngeal cancer is further split into HPV-positive and HPV-negative types, which behave differently.
Most head and neck cancers are squamous cell carcinomas of the mouth, throat, or voice box.
The throat (pharynx) has three parts, and cancer location within it matters.
Oropharyngeal cancer splits into HPV-positive and HPV-negative types with different outlooks.
Salivary gland cancers are less common and can involve different cell types than squamous cell cancers elsewhere in the head and neck.
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The full explanation.
The simple version
Head and neck cancer is not one disease. It is a group of cancers named for where they start. Most begin in squamous cells, the flat cells lining the moist surfaces of the mouth, throat, and voice box. Knowing the exact location and cell type helps guide your treatment.
Where head and neck cancers form
- Oral cavity (mouth). Includes the lips, tongue, gums, the lining inside the cheeks, the floor of the mouth, and the roof of the mouth.
- Pharynx (throat). A tube about 5 inches long with three parts: the nasopharynx (behind the nose), the oropharynx (including the tonsils and base of the tongue), and the hypopharynx (the lower part, just above the esophagus).
- Larynx (voice box). Contains the vocal cords and sits just below the pharynx.
- Paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity. The small hollow spaces around the nose and the nasal passage itself.
- Salivary glands. Glands that produce saliva, found near the jaw and throughout the mouth and throat lining.
In short: location matters, because each area has its own typical causes and treatment approach.
Why the HPV split matters for oropharyngeal cancer
Cancer of the oropharynx is now understood as two related but distinct diseases:
- HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer. Linked to infection with cancer-causing HPV types, especially HPV-16. It often occurs in younger adults without a strong smoking or drinking history, and it generally responds well to treatment.
- HPV-negative oropharyngeal cancer. More often linked to tobacco and alcohol use. It is staged using a different, more detailed system and, on average, does not respond quite as well to treatment as HPV-positive disease.
Testing a tumor for HPV is now a standard part of diagnosing oropharyngeal cancer, because it changes both the stage and the expected course of treatment.
Squamous cell carcinoma vs. other cell types
Most head and neck cancers, across all these locations, are squamous cell carcinomas. A smaller number start in salivary gland tissue, involving different cell types, or in the muscles or nerves of the head and neck. These less common types are managed differently from squamous cell carcinoma, so an accurate pathology diagnosis is an important first step.
Why it matters
Both the location and the cell type of a head and neck cancer shape the treatment plan, whether that is surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or a combination. Ask your care team to walk you through exactly where your cancer started and what type it is.
Sources
- National Cancer Institute, Head and Neck Cancers
Words to know
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Common questions
What is the most common type of head and neck cancer?
The large majority are squamous cell carcinomas, which start in the flat cells lining the moist surfaces of the mouth, throat, and voice box.
Why does it matter which part of the throat is involved?
The throat, or pharynx, has three parts: the nasopharynx, oropharynx, and hypopharynx. Cancers in each part have different typical causes, staging systems, and treatment approaches, so identifying the exact location matters.
What is the difference between HPV-positive and HPV-negative oropharyngeal cancer?
HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer is linked to HPV infection, often affects younger adults without a heavy tobacco or alcohol history, and generally has a better response to treatment. HPV-negative oropharyngeal cancer is more often linked to tobacco and alcohol use and is staged and, in some cases, treated somewhat differently.
Are salivary gland cancers different from other head and neck cancers?
Yes. While most head and neck cancers are squamous cell carcinomas, salivary gland cancers can involve several other cell types and are treated as their own category, even though they occur in the same general region.
Does the type of head and neck cancer change my treatment?
Yes. The location and cell type both shape which combination of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, or newer therapies like immunotherapy, is likely to help most.
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Last updated: 2026-08-03Next planned review: 2027-08-03
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How this page was created
Cancer Explained does not originate medical claims. Every page restates guidance already published by the National Cancer Institute, the CDC, the USPSTF and the FDA, in plain language, with the source cited so you can check the original yourself. AI does the translating and organizing; automated checks test claims, citations, clarity and safety before anything publishes. We do not employ clinicians and do not intend to — our work is translation and navigation, not clinical judgment. Nothing here is personal medical advice, and no page can account for your particular situation.
Editorial status: Source checked — This page was written with AI assistance and checked line by line against the sources listed on it. That confirms the sources support what the page says. It is not a medical review, and it does not confirm the page is complete or right for your situation.
Human medical review: not completed. Pages here are not signed off by a clinician before they publish. That is not an oversight we are quietly working around: we restate published guidance and cite it, so the authority belongs to the source rather than to us, and every page names where its claims come from — you can verify us instead of trusting us. Where a volunteer clinician has reviewed a page, their name and credentials appear on it; where no name appears, no clinician has checked it. We are glad to have reviewers and are recruiting them, and we do not hold pages back waiting for one. Use this site to understand your situation and to ask better questions of the people treating you.
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