SUMMARY

SUMMARY

The anatomical and physiological performance of the pharyn - golarynx is involved in the important mechanisms of breath - ing, coughing, voice production and swallowing. A variety of congenital, traumatic, infectious and neoplastic conditions disturb these functions, giving rise to the common symptoms of pain, swelling, hoarseness, dyspnoea and dysphagia. Squamous cell carcinomas are the most common malig - nancies, accounting for appr oximately 80% of all head and around the world, but they are mainly caused by the prevent able aetiological agents of smoking and alcohol, although nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas have additional genetic and environmental factors. All head and neck cancers have a high morbidity and mortality and require expert tr eatment. SUMMARY

The anatomical and physiological performance of the pharyn - golarynx is involved in the important mechanisms of breath - ing, coughing, voice production and swallowing. A variety of congenital, traumatic, infectious and neoplastic conditions disturb these functions, giving rise to the common symptoms of pain, swelling, hoarseness, dyspnoea and dysphagia. Squamous cell carcinomas are the most common malig - nancies, accounting for appr oximately 80% of all head and around the world, but they are mainly caused by the prevent able aetiological agents of smoking and alcohol, although nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas have additional genetic and environmental factors. All head and neck cancers have a high morbidity and mortality and require expert tr eatment.