Neck uterus. Thus the adjective "cervical" may refer either to the neck (as in "cervical vertebrae" or "cervical lymph nodes") or to the uterine cervix (as in "cervical cap" or "cervical cancer"). The neck contains vessels that link structures in the head to the body. In humans these structures include part of the esophagus, larynx, trachea, thyroid and parathyroid glands, lymph nodes, and the first part of the spinal cord. Major blood vessels present include the carotid arteries and the jugular veins. Cervical lymph nodes surround the blood vessels. The thyroid gland and parathyroid gland are endocrine glands involved in the
Head and neck cancer to prevent the development of leukoplakia, the white plaques that are the precursor for carcinomas of the mucosal surfaces, in adult smokers. Another study examined a combination of Vitamin E and beta carotene in smokers with early-stage cancer of the oropharynx, and found a worse prognosis in the vitamin users. Betel nut chewing is associated with an increased risk of squamous cell cancer of the head and neck. Some head and neck cancers are caused by Human papillomavirus (HPV). In particular HPV16, is a causal factor for some head and neck squamous-cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Approximately 15 to 25% of HNSCC