The first step to diagnosing<unk>  is to obtain an accurate history from the patient. The physician will also examine the patient for any indicative physical signs. A few tests then, maybe conducted depending on the progress of the disease or if the doctor feels the need for. The tests include: Fine needle aspiration, blood tests, MRI, x-rays and PET scan. Staging The staging of a tumor mass is based on TNM staging. T staging is the based on the tumor mass. The N staging is based on the extent of spread of cancer to the lymph nodes. Finally, the M stage indicates if the cancer has spread beyond the head and neck or not. T Staging The basis of deciding the T stage depends on physical examination and imaging of the tumor. T Stage Tumor Dimension Tx Primary tumor cannot be assessed T0 Primary tumor cannot be located Tis<unk>  in situ T1 ≤ 2 cm in dimension T2 > 2 cm but ≤ 4 cm in dimension T3 > 4 cm and has grown till the epiglottis T4a Moderately advanced, tumor has grown into larynx, beyond muscles of tongue, hard palate, lower jawbone and/or medial pterygoid muscles T4b Extremely advanced, invasion of lateral pterygoin muscle, pterygoid plates, nasopharynx, into skull base or is encasing the carotid artery. N staging This stage is decided through the assessment of the lymph nodes. N Stage Lymph node dimension Nx No assessment of neck lymph nodes N0 No evidence of spread N1 Ipsilateral, Single lymph node, ≤ 3 cm in size N2a cancer cells have metastasised to a single lymph node, ipsilateral to main tumor, > 3 cm but ≤ 6 cm in size N2b Cancer cells have metastasised to multiple lymph nodes, ipsilateral to mail tumor, > 6 cm in size N2c Detection of lymph nodes in the neck, contralateral or bilateral to the main tumor, >6 cm in size N3 Metastasis of cancer cells to one or more lymph nodes, >6 cm in size M staging Based on the examination of the entire body. M Stage Metastasis beyond Head and neck M0 No evidence M1 Evidence of metastasis to structures outside head and neck present, commonly involved organs are: Lungs, bones, brain FInally, the stage is decided by concluding the above results and referring the following chart: Stage T Stage N Stage M Stage Stage I T1 N0 M0 Stage II T2 N0 M0 Stage III T3 N0 M0 T1 N1 M0 T2 N1 M0 T3 N1 M0 Stage IVA T4a N0 M0 T4a N1 M0 T1 N2 M0 T2 N2 M0 T3 N2 M0 T4a N2 M0 Stage IVB T4b Any N M0 Any T N3 M0 Stage IVC Any T Any N M1
Tonsil carcinoma
Laryngeal cyst
Laryngeal papillomatosis
Laryngeal cancer
Peritonsillar abscess
Oropharyngeal cancer
Nasopharyngeal cyst
Adenoiditis