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Tumors of the Head and Neck

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Cancer Grading Manual

Abstract

Head and neck tumors most often originate from the squamous epithelium, but they can also arise from the sinonasal mucosa and salivary glands. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of this region is the sixth commonest cancer worldwide and thus forms a significant part of routine work in pathology. Benign and potentially malignant intraepithelial lesions, carcinoma in situ, and invasive SCC are by far the most frequent entities in this region. The grading of these lesions is of considerable clinical significance and is performed routinely. In addition to SCC and its variants, other, although infrequent, malignant tumors can be found in the head and neck region. Some of them are identical to homonymous tumors in other parts of the body, such as adenocarcinoma, malignant tumors of the salivary glands, and neuroendocrine carcinomas, whereas others, such as sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma and olfactory neuroblastomas, are unique to this region. This chapter will review the most important malignant tumors and precursor lesions in this part of the body.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Pathology, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Nina Gale M.D. & Nina Zidar M.D.

Authors
  1. Nina Gale M.D.
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  2. Nina Zidar M.D.
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Correspondence to Nina Gale M.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Medicine, Dept. Pathology, University of Kansas, Rainbow Blvd. 3901, Kansas City, 66160-7410, Kansas, USA

    Ivan Damjanov

  2. School of Medicine, Dept. Pathology, University of Kansas, Rainbow Blvd. 3901, Kansas City, 66160-7410, Kansas, USA

    Fang Fan

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Gale, N., Zidar, N. (2013). Tumors of the Head and Neck. In: Damjanov, I., Fan, F. (eds) Cancer Grading Manual. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-34516-6_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-34516-6_2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-34515-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-34516-6

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