If you are diagnosed with head and neck cancer, you might have more tests to find out the stage of the disease and whether the cancer has spread to other parts of your body.
Knowing the stage of the disease helps your medical team plan the best treatment for you.
Most types of head and neck cancer have 4 stages. The stage depends on the size of the tumour and which other tissues it has spread to.
Usually, Stage 1 and 2 the cancer is small and has not spread to surrounding organs or lymph nodes. In Stages 3 and 4, the cancer may have spread to nearby lymph nodes, surrounding organs and even distant organs, e.g. lungs, liver.
The stage of cancer will be discussed by your doctor when planning the best treatment for you.
With all stages of Head and neck cancer, there is plenty of treatment and support that can help you, including traditional medicine and practices like ceremony and being on Country.