Head and Neck Cancer Statistics

This is the fifth article in the Understanding Head and Neck Cancer Guide. This guide was developed by the HealthTree Education Team and was last updated and reviewed on May 22, 2026.

Head and neck cancer causes cells in the mouth, throat, voice box, sinuses, nasal cavity, or salivary glands to grow too fast and form a tumor or abnormal growth. This page explains how many people are diagnosed with head and neck cancer each year and what survival statistics look like.

For many people, one of the first questions after a head and neck cancer diagnosis is "what is my prognosis?" or "how long will I live with head and neck cancer?" It is important to remember that every person is different, and researchers are always studying new treatments. Statistics describe groups of people. They cannot predict what will happen for any one individual.

It is also important to remember that these statistics tell us about groups of people, not individuals. Statistics can be hard to understand. Always talk to your doctor about your specific diagnosis and what these statistics mean for you. 

How common is head and neck cancer?

Head and neck cancers make up about 4% of all cancers in the United States. It is estimated that approximately 71,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with cancer of the oral cavity, pharynx, or larynx each year, and about 16,000 people die from these cancers each year. Worldwide, head and neck cancers are the seventh most common type of cancer.

Head and neck cancer is about twice as common in men as in women. Most cases are diagnosed in people over the age of 50, although HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancers are increasingly being diagnosed in adults in their 40s and 50s.

The incidence of head and neck cancer has been shifting in recent decades. Cancers strongly linked to tobacco, such as laryngeal and most oral cavity cancers, have declined as tobacco use has decreased. At the same time, HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancers have increased dramatically and now represent the majority of new oropharyngeal cancer cases in the United States.

Globally, head and neck cancer rates vary widely. The highest rates of oral and pharyngeal cancer are seen in South and Southeast Asia, where tobacco and betel quid use are common. Nasopharyngeal cancer is much more common in southern China, Southeast Asia, and North Africa.

What is the survival rate for head and neck cancer?

Researchers use a statistic called the relative survival rate to understand how long most people live after a specific cancer diagnosis. This number compares people with the disease to people without it.

As an example: imagine two groups of 100 people. Group A does not have cancer. Group B does. After 5 years, 90 people in Group A are still alive. In Group B, 65 people are still alive. The 5-year relative survival rate would be about 72% — because 65 is 72% of 90.

Overall 5-year relative survival for head and neck cancer in the United States is approximately 68%, but survival varies significantly by site, stage, and HPV status:

• Oral cavity and pharyngeal cancers, all stages combined: approximately 68% 5-year survival
• Laryngeal cancer, all stages combined: approximately 61% 5-year survival
• Localized disease (cancer is confined to the original site): approximately 84–85% 5-year survival
• Regional disease (cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes): approximately 67% 5-year survival
• Distant disease (cancer has spread to distant parts of the body): approximately 39–40% 5-year survival

Survival also varies significantly by HPV status for oropharyngeal cancer. People with HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer generally have much better outcomes than those with HPV-negative disease, with 5-year survival often exceeding 80% even for advanced-stage disease. This is one reason why HPV-positive and HPV-negative oropharyngeal cancers are now staged and treated as distinct diseases.

It is also important to remember that relative survival rates reflect data collected over the past several years. These numbers may not include the most recent advances in treatment. New therapies, particularly immunotherapies and targeted therapies, continue to improve outcomes for many patients. Always talk to your doctor about what these statistics mean for your specific situation.

Is head and neck cancer curable?

When head and neck cancer is caught at an early stage, before it has spread beyond the original site, it is often curable with surgery, radiation therapy, or a combination of treatments. Many early-stage head and neck cancers are highly curable, particularly HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancers. Even when head and neck cancer is diagnosed at a more advanced stage, treatment can be highly effective and many people achieve long-term remission. Researchers continue to make advances that improve both survival and quality of life for patients at all stages.

SOURCES:

1. https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/oralcav.html