[Presentation and diagnostic evaluation of head and neck cancer]

Dysphagia, dysphonia, dyspnoea, cervical lymph nodes are commonly indicative of head and neck carcinoma, although non specific signs, like otologic or rhinologic symptoms may be present. In addition to physical examination done on the patient awake and panendoscopy under anesthesia with biopsies, the diagnostic evaluation includes different imaging modalities (computed tomography, and/or magnetic resonance imaging, and positron emission tomography with FDG). Preoperative assessment of tumour extent, cervical lymph node involvement as well as distant metastases is mandatory for both staging and planning the best accurate therapy in these patients.