By Quick answer
Who checks for head and neck cancer in Dubai, and what are the warning signs?
Dr. Muhammad Jabbr is a Consultant ENT (ear, nose and throat) and Head and Neck Surgeon. He checks for head and neck cancer and operates when surgery is the right choice. He sees patients at Medcare Hospital Al Safa, Dubai. Get checked if a mouth sore, hoarse voice, swallowing problem or neck lump lasts more than three weeks. Seek emergency care if you are struggling to breathe or cannot swallow your saliva.
A mouth ulcer that will not heal. A hoarse voice that has lasted a month. A sore throat on one side that keeps coming back. Usually the cause is minor. Sometimes they are the first sign of cancer, and that is when seeing a head and neck cancer specialist in Dubai early can make a real difference.
Dr. Muhammad Jabbr is a Consultant ENT (Ear, Nose & Throat) and Head & Neck Surgeon at the ENT Department of Medcare Hospital, Al Safa, Dubai. He has more than 20 years of experience and has performed more than 3,000 ENT procedures. For a mouth, throat or neck symptom that will not go away, he is one of the best doctors in Dubai to see.
What does a head and neck cancer specialist in Dubai do?
"Head and neck cancer" is a group name. It covers cancers of the mouth, tongue, tonsils, throat (pharynx) and voice box (larynx), which mostly start in the moist inner lining. Salivary gland and thyroid cancers are often included too. Most are easier to treat when found early.
This specialist examines these areas closely, arranges the right biopsy and scans, involves a wider team if cancer is found, and operates when surgery is the right choice.
Our page on head and neck cancer surgery in Dubai explains the surgical side.
Early warning signs, area by area
Early cancer often causes mild, easy-to-ignore symptoms. The key word is persistent. A symptom that lasts more than three weeks deserves a check, even if it does not hurt.
Mouth and tongue
- An ulcer or sore that has not healed after three weeks.
- A white or red patch on the gums, tongue or inside of the cheek.
- A lump or thickening in the cheek or tongue.
- Loose teeth, or a denture that suddenly no longer fits.
Throat and tonsils
- A sore throat or pain on one side that does not settle.
- Pain that spreads to the ear while the ear itself looks normal.
- Difficulty or pain when swallowing, or a feeling that food sticks.
Voice box
- Hoarseness or a change in your voice for more than three weeks.
- Noisy breathing or shortness of breath.
- A cough that will not go away, sometimes with blood.
A lasting voice change needs a throat and voice specialist to look at the vocal cords.
Salivary glands and thyroid
- A firm lump in front of the ear, under the jaw or in the lower front of the neck.
- A lump that is growing, feels fixed or is painful.
- Weakness of one side of the face, or a new hoarse voice with a thyroid lump.
Many salivary lumps are benign, but one with these signs needs prompt review. Read more about parotid gland surgery.
A painless lump in the side of the neck can also be the first sign, because cancer sometimes spreads to a lymph node before the main tumour causes symptoms. An adult with a neck lump lasting more than three weeks should see a neck lump specialist without delay.
Who is at higher risk?
Anyone can develop these cancers. Some habits and infections raise the risk a lot.
- Smoking. Tobacco is a leading cause of mouth, throat and voice box cancer.
- Shisha (water pipe). Passing the smoke through water does not make it safe.
- Paan, betel nut, gutka and chewing tobacco. These are a major cause of mouth cancer.
- Alcohol. Risk rises with the amount you drink, and much more when combined with tobacco.
- HPV (human papillomavirus). Some strains of this common virus can cause cancer of the tonsils and base of tongue, including people who have never smoked.
- Other factors. Older age, years of sun on the lips, poor dental health and past radiation to the neck.
Good news: stopping tobacco and cutting down alcohol lowers your risk over time.
How is mouth or throat cancer diagnosed?
Only a biopsy can say for sure whether a growth is cancer. The usual path looks like this:
- Clinic examination. The doctor looks in your mouth, feels your neck and asks about your symptoms and habits.
- Endoscopy. A slim scope through the nose lets the doctor see the tongue base, throat and voice box. You stay awake, and a numbing spray helps.
- Biopsy. A small piece of tissue is taken and sent to the laboratory. A mouth sore can often be sampled with local numbing. Areas deep in the throat may need a short general anaesthetic.
- Needle test of a lump. If there is a lump in the neck, salivary gland or thyroid, a fine needle guided by ultrasound can take cells for testing.
- Tests on the tissue. For tonsil and tongue-base cancers, the lab usually tests for HPV. The result changes how the cancer is staged and can affect the outlook.
Staging scans: what they show and why they matter
If cancer is confirmed, the next step is to find out how big it is and whether it has spread. This is called staging, and it guides the treatment plan.
- CT or MRI scan shows the size of the tumour and nearby lymph nodes.
- PET-CT or a chest scan checks the rest of the body. The lungs are a common place for spread.
Doctors describe the result with T (the main tumour), N (lymph nodes) and M (spread to other organs). These combine into a stage from 1 to 4. A lower stage usually means a smaller cancer that is easier to treat.
Why a team plans your care
These cancers can affect breathing, speaking, swallowing and appearance. So a group of specialists, called the multidisciplinary team, reviews your scans and biopsy together and agrees a plan.
The team may include:
- A head and neck surgeon.
- A medical oncologist (cancer medicines) and a radiation oncologist.
- A radiologist who reads the scans and a pathologist who reads the biopsy.
- A speech and swallowing therapist, a dietitian and a dentist.
The aim is to control the cancer while protecting voice and swallowing as much as possible.
An outline of treatment options
Treatment depends on the cancer's site and stage, your general health and what matters to you. The main options are:
- Surgery to remove the tumour with a margin of healthy tissue. Lymph nodes in the neck may be removed at the same time. Thyroid cancer is treated differently, mainly with thyroid surgery and sometimes radioactive iodine.
- Radiotherapy, using focused beams, usually on weekdays over several weeks. It may be used alone or after surgery.
- Chemotherapy, often given together with radiotherapy to make it work better.
- Targeted therapy or immunotherapy, used in selected cases, often for cancer that has come back or spread.
Early cancers may need only one treatment. More advanced cancers often need a mix. Speech and swallowing support starts early. After treatment, you will have regular check-ups for several years.
Which symptoms need urgent care?
Book a prompt appointment if any symptom above lasts three weeks or more. Seek urgent or emergency care if you have:
- Struggling to breathe, or a new whistling sound as you breathe in.
- Coughing up blood, or blood in your spit that keeps coming back.
- Being unable to swallow liquids or your own saliva.
- A neck lump that is growing quickly.
Seeing Dr. Muhammad Jabbr for a cancer check
Dr. Jabbr is trained in both ENT and head and neck surgery. He holds MD, MS, DOHNS (England), the European Board in ORL-HNS and the Arab Board in ORL-HNS.
He has a 4.9 Google rating from 406 reviews. At a check-up, he can examine your mouth, throat and neck closely and explain which tests, if any, you need. Read about his work as a head and neck surgeon in Dubai.
Book an appointment
If you have a symptom that worries you, do not wait for it to "settle". Dr. Muhammad Jabbr sees patients at the ENT Department, Medcare Hospital, Hadiqa Street, Al Safa 1, Dubai.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is shisha safer than cigarettes for mouth and throat cancer?
No. Shisha smoke contains many of the same harmful chemicals as cigarette smoke, and one session can last a long time. Regular shisha use is linked to cancers of the mouth, throat and lungs.
Can I get throat cancer if I have never smoked?
Yes. HPV-related cancer of the tonsils and base of tongue can affect people who have never smoked, often at a younger age than smoking-related throat cancer. A painless neck lump is a common first sign.
Is it still worth stopping smoking after a cancer diagnosis?
Yes. Quitting can help treatment work better and may reduce problems such as slow wound healing. It also lowers the chance of a second cancer.
Which mouth patches need checking?
Any white or red patch that does not rub off and has not gone in three weeks should be checked. Red patches carry a higher risk than white ones. Many patches are harmless, but only an examination, and sometimes a biopsy, can tell.
Will I lose my voice if I have voice box cancer?
Not necessarily. Many early voice box cancers can be treated with radiotherapy or limited surgery that keeps a useful voice, although it may sound a little different. Your team will explain how each option may affect your voice.
The main message
Head and neck cancer is often treatable, especially when it is found early. Do not ignore a mouth sore, hoarse voice, swallowing problem or neck lump that lasts more than three weeks. A careful examination brings peace of mind or early treatment.
