April shines the light on Esophageal, Testicular and Head and Neck Cancer Awareness

Esophageal and head and neck cancers affect thousands of people in the United States each year. In 2024, an estimated 22,370 individuals were diagnosed with esophageal cancer, and about 16,130 lost their lives to the disease, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Esophageal cancer develops in the lining of the esophagus, the muscular tube that carries food from the throat to the stomach. The two main types are squamous cell carcinoma, which starts in the flat cells lining the esophagus, and adenocarcinoma, which originates in mucus-producing cells.

Head and neck cancers make up nearly 4% of all cancers in the U.S. These cancers develop in areas outside the skull and above the shoulders, often beginning in the squamous cells that line the mouth, nose and other internal surfaces.

Testicular cancer typically starts in germ cells and is classified into two main types: seminomas and nonseminomas. In 2024, approximately 9,760 men in the U.S. were expected to be diagnosed with testicular cancer, according to the NCI’s SEER Program.