Speak Out
The North West’s head and neck cancer rates are 20% higher than the rest of the UK, and men are twice as likely to get it. That’s why it’s so important to speak out.
Together with BBC radio broadcaster Mark Radcliffe, we’ve asked five local survivors of head and neck cancer from our region to speak to us about their experience.
With there being over 30 different types of head and neck cancer, you should speak out about any changes you notice, as an early diagnosis can make a life-changing difference.
Speak Out Campaign Video
Finding a symptom may be scary but it’s much better to speak out and get the treatment you need, quickly.
There are over 30 different types of head and neck cancer. This includes the mouth – which is the most common type - and lips; larynx; throat; salivary glands; nose and sinuses.
Its symptoms can often disguise themselves as much less serious conditions such as the common cold or sinusitis. But an early diagnosis can make a life-changing difference.
This is why it’s so important to speak out if you suffer from any of the following:
• Persistent ear pain or a sore throat
• A lump or swelling in your neck, jaw, or mouth
• Difficulty or pain when swallowing
• Shortness of breath or a persistent cough
• A change in your voice such as hoarseness
• A persistent blocked nose – usually on one side- or nosebleeds
• A decreased sense of smell or mucus running from the nose or down your throat
• Red or white patches in the mouth or an ulcer in the mouth that doesn’t heal
Hear from men from our region who spoke out about their symptoms and were diagnosed with head and neck cancer.
If you have experienced one or some of these symptoms, please book an appointment with your doctor or dentist, it may not be serious but the sooner you get checked the better.