Head and neck cancer

Our care plans aren’t one size fits all. Our weekly tumor board addresses multiple areas of your health and well-being using a combination of treatments, including:

• Chemotherapy
• Clinical trials
• Complex microvascular reconstructive surgery
• Cosmetic, functional, chewing and dental rehabilitation
• Immunotherapy
• Minimally invasive surgery, including robotic procdures
• Oral and maxillofacial prosthetics and prosthodontics
• Radiation therapy
• Skull base surgery
• Speech and swallowing therapy
• Surgery
• Survivor support
• Weekly multidisciplinary tumor board to customize care for each patient

Our maxillofacial prosthodontics team provides dental repair and prosthetics of the teeth, jaw, nose, eyes and ears.

Knowing the symptoms of head and neck cancers can help you identify them sooner when they are more treatable. If you have any of these symptoms, especially a combination of two or more, please contact our specialists right away.

• Lump in the neck — One or more lumps in the neck that appear for two weeks can be the first sign of cancers in the mouth, throat, larynx, thyroid gland or salivary glands.
• Voice changes — Most voice changes are not caused by cancer, but check with our doctors if your voice is hoarse or changes persist for more than two weeks.
• Growth in the mouth — A mouth sore, ulcer or swelling of the tongue can be a sign of cancer.
• Bleeding — In some cases, bleeding in the mouth can be caused by tumors in the nose, mouth, throat or lungs.
• Difficulty swallowing — Cancers that begin in the throat or esophagus can make it difficult to swallow every time you eat.
• Changes in the skin — Look for small pale patches on the skin, especially the forehead, face and ears. Moles on the neck and head can also indicate cancer, especially if they change in size, color or begin bleeding.
• Earache that does not go away — Persistent earache can be a sign of tumor growth or an infection in the throat, especially if accompanied by painful swallowing, hoarseness or a lump in the neck.

The most preventable risk factor for head an neck cancer is tobacco use. This doesn’t just include smoking. Smokeless or spit tobacco can also cause diseases and cancer of the mouth. E-cigarettes and vaping products may also pose health risks and should not be viewed as a safe alternative to smoking. Along with tobacco, alcohol is the most common cause of cancers of the mouth, throat, voice box and tongue.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) can also lead to cancer. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 70 percent of cancers of the tonsils, tongue and back of the mouth are linked to HPV. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the U.S. The HPV vaccine does protect against the types of HPV that can cause oropharyngeal cancers, so it may also prevent these cancers.

We specialize in complex head and neck cancers, cancers that were treated but didn't go away or cancers that metastasized. Our team includes:

• Surgeons
• Radiation oncologists
• Advanced nurse specialists
• Radiologists
• Oncological dentist with expertise in oral cancer
• Oral and maxillofacial pathologist
• Other focused head and neck experts and therapists