About 58,000 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with a head and neck cancer this year, health officials say. Most of those cancers are in the mouth — on the tongue, gums, tonsils and upper throat.

When those are found early, the outcome is good, but more than three-quarters of cases are typically found at a later stage when they’re harder to treat.

KSTP Medical Expert Dr. Archelle Georgiou joined 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS to take a closer look at the topic.

To spread awareness of early detection of Head and Neck cancer and to make screenings accessible to everyone, the Head & Neck Cancer Foundation has organized the following free screening events during the month of April:

Tuesday, April 16, 2024:
Dakota Valley OMS – Owatonna, 2-4 p.m.
Dakota Valley OMS – Lakeville, 3-5 p.m.

Friday, April 19, 2024:
Alpine Dental – Crystal, 9 a.m. to noon
MN Oral & Facial Surgery – Minneapolis, 1-3 p.m.
Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Associates – Bemidji, 1-3 p.m.
MN Oral & Facial Surgery – Sartell, 1-3 p.m.