Hello. I'm Doctor Clayton Hess, founder of CureRays Radiation Medicine. Let me walk you through this page: Keep Head & Neck Cancer Away®. Head and neck cancer is really two diseases wearing one name. One is caused by tobacco and alcohol and has been slowly declining. Here is what you'll find on this page. Two different diseases, one label. This distinction is the single most useful thing on this page, and it is routinely missed. Who is at risk. HPV infection — now the leading cause of oropharyngeal cancer in the United States, and the reason overall rates are rising. HPV vaccination prevents the infections that cause it; it is recommended for boys as well as girls; Tobacco in every form — cigarettes, cigars, pipes, chewing tobacco, snuff, and betel quid; Heavy alcohol — and alcohol combined with tobacco multiplies risk rather than simply adding to it. Here is what you can do next. Go deeper on head and neck cancer. Read the full plain-language guide, or ask our radiation team about salivary and swallowing sparing in your plan. Look for the button marked Full head & neck cancer guide. You can always reach our Grass Valley office at 5 3 0. 8 0 2. 6 4 0 0. This page is informational only. It is not medical advice — please confirm anything here with your care team. --- PRONUNCIATION KEY (not spoken) --- CureRays -> CURE-rays