UT Medical Group Inc. will sponsor free head and neck cancer screenings on Friday, April 20 in observance of Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month. The screenings will be held at UTMG's Germantown office, 7945 Wolf River Boulevard, Suite 220, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Call 901-347-8100 to schedule an appointment.

Head and neck cancers are among the most preventable forms of cancer because they are largely the result of tobacco and alcohol use. About 85 percent of head and neck cancers are caused by smoking and substances such as snuff and chewing tobacco. Individuals who use both tobacco and alcohol greatly increase their risk of developing cancer.

Cancer of the head and neck may be detected in the larynx (voice box), mouth, sinuses or nasal cavity, and lymph nodes in the upper part of the neck. Symptoms depend on the location of the cancer but may include difficulty swallowing, a change in the voice, ear pain, blocked sinuses or chronic sinus infections that do not respond to treatment, bleeding or pain in the mouth, or patches of white or red on the gums, tongue, or mouth lining. When detected early, head and neck cancer usually can be treated successfully with surgery, radiation therapy, and/or chemotherapy.

For more information please visit www.headneckmd.com.