Northwestern Medicine To Offer Free Head, Neck Cancer Screenings

ORLAND HILLS, IL — Local residents who want to undergo a free non-invasive head and neck screening for cancer will be able to through a free service being offered through Northwestern Medicine next week.

The screenings will be offered from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Dec. 7 at Northwestern Medicine’s Orland Hills location, which is at 15300 West Ave. There is no need to register for the screenings and patients are asked to use Entrance 1 of the facility.

Head and neck cancer is the sixth most common cancer worldwide with approximately 68,000 cases diagnosed per year in the United States, according to the National Cancer Institute. Head and neck cancers usually develop within the squamous cells, the moist cells that line the inside of the mouth, nose, and throat, according to experts.

Head and neck cancers can also begin in the sinuses, salivary glands, muscles, or nerves of the head and neck, experts said.

“Screening programs are often a simple and effective method for detecting cancer. Early detection is one of the most important aspects of being able to treat cancer successfully,” Dr. Samer Rajjoub, endocrine surgery at Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital said in a news release. “We chose to focus our efforts on head and neck cancer this year, which despite being the sixth most common cancer worldwide, is much less publicized. I sincerely hope the community will take advantage and benefit from the free screening event.”

Alcohol and tobacco use, including the use of smokeless tobacco, are the two most important risk factors for head and neck cancers, experts said. At least 75 percent of cancers are caused by alcohol and tobacco use. The most common sexually transmitted infection: human papillomavirus (HPV) is also a risk factor for some types of head and neck cancers, particularly oropharyngeal cancers of the tonsils and base of the tongue.

Other risk factors for head and neck cancers include a history of oral lesions, a family history of thyroid cancer, occupational exposure, and a history of radiation therapy.

Participants with risk factors would benefit from a screening, officials said. There is an 80 percent survival rate when head and neck cancer is found early. Participants with abnormal results will be contacted by medical staff for follow-up.