HEAD & NECK CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

APRIL 2024

For more than two decades, HNCA has worked with partners around the world to raise awareness and save lives by hosting community health screenings to promote early detection.

Download our "How to Host a Screening Guide"


Why Host a Screening?

Screening and early detection of oral, head and neck cancer is now more important than ever. Oropharyngeal cancer caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is on the rise in younger adults without traditional risk factors, and has recently surpassed the rate of cervical cancer caused by HPV among women in the US. We know that HPV positive cancer carries a better chance of survival than HPV negative if it’s caught early and treated early, making screening for every adult imperative.

The statistics are staggering and further underscore the need for worldwide screenings. According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, HPV prevalence in oropharyngeal tumors shot up from 16% during the 1980s to 73% during the 2000s. 


Easy as 1…2…SCREEN

HNCA makes it easy for your organization to participate. We provide the promotional and education materials free of charge, and you organize the staff and volunteers. By signing up to host a screening at your medical or dental office, center, or institution, you will have access to the following materials:

  • How to Host a Head and Neck Cancer Screening, a guide to help prepare your team for what to expect during a screening
  • A screening kit that includes HIPAA compliant screening forms, promotional materials (posters, t-shirts, local media kit), and giveaways
  • Download our 2023 Media Outreach & Publicity Guide to get your community involved (2024 version coming soon).

These materials will arrive at your institution well in advance of your screening event, so you will have help along the way as you navigate through this important and worthwhile life saving program.


While most screenings will take place during April (Head & Neck Cancer Awareness Month), we welcome your partnership at any time of the year. If you’re unable to host a screening in April, please consider hosting an event at another time this year. HNCA is pleased to offer the same educational and promotional support—free of charge—for all screenings offered during the year.


What are organizations saying about this event?

For over 10 years, Greenville Ear, Nose and Throat Associates in Greenville, SC has participated in Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week by hosting oral, head and neck cancer screenings. Early detection of oral, head and neck cancer is key to successful treatment. Screenings provide a great way to educate the community about signs and symptoms and when it is appropriate to seek medical help. Registering with the Head and Neck Cancer Alliance is easy. They send promotional and educational materials for free. All you have to do is organize the staff and volunteers. We encourage everyone to host a screening event!

The head and neck cancer screenings that Moffitt Cancer Center’s Department of Head and Neck-Endocrine Oncology offers is easier and free access to individuals in our community, including those who are underserved.  We love Tampa and its surrounding areas.  Our Department is fortunate to have the opportunity to serve the community by educating them on early detection about head and neck cancers and providing critical screenings.

Partners in Care hosts the free screening event during our head and neck cancer 5K runs that we host. In 2023 we are hosting 13 different races across the United States and we hope to be able to provide free screenings if not at all 13 venues at least half of them. It’s very important to host the screenings not only to raise awareness of Head and Neck Cancer but also as we know early detection saves lives. Years ago when we held a free screening here in Fort Myers one of my former tonsil cancer patients brought her husband in for free screening. He had been complaining of some symptoms for the past year.. She convinced him to come to one of our free screening events and they did find that he also had tonsil cancer. That screening saved his life he to underwent chemo and radiation just like his wife. They are both 80 years old now and thriving. So I am a firm believer in screenings and screening as many people as we possibly can.
- Stacey Brill, Partners In Care