TREATMENTS
SUPPORTING YOUR JOURNEY
Treatments for head and neck cancer may involve surgery, advanced radiotherapy, chemotherapy or immunotherapy. Some cancers may necessitate combination of treatments.
Each of the following cancers will have a treatment tailored towards you, depending on your requirements. Information about the most common treatments for the cancers is below:
Oral cavity (mouth) cancer
Oral cavity cancer is generally treated with surgery first. Some advanced oral cavity cancer may require radiotherapy afterwards to improve surgical outcomes.
Laryngeal cancer
Depending on the exact location of the larynx cancer your surgeon or oncologist may advise either surgery, radiotherapy, or a combination of both.
Oropharynx (throat) cancer
This condition may be associated with Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) which carries a better prognosis than non-HPV related oropharynx cancer. This condition is generally treated with a combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
Salivary gland cancer
Surgery is the mainstay of treatment, followed by radiotherapy if necessary.
Nasopharynx Cancer
A rare condition with cancer arising from the lining of the back of the nose. This is generally treated with a combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
Hypopharynx cancer
“Hypopharynx cancer is generally treated with a combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Advanced hypopharynx cancer may require surgery followed by chemo-radiotherapy.
Head and Neck Skin Cancer
Either radiotherapy or surgery can be used to treat skin cancer, depending on the location and size of cancer.
Surgery could include
- Laser technology
- Excision
- Lymph node dissection or neck dissection
- Reconstructive surgery
Radiation therapy (Radiotherapy)
Radiotherapy is the use of linear accelerators (Linacs) which direct high energy x-rays or other particles to destroy cancer cells. It can be used on its own or in a combination with other treatments such as surgery or chemotherapy. Clinical oncologists will prescribe the dose for radiotherapy.
Medical therapy
Medical therapy is often prescribed by a medical or clinical oncologist. There are different types of medical therapy that can be given through the bloodstream, using an intravenous (IV) tube placed into a vein using a needle
Types of medications used for head and neck cancer include
• Chemotherapy
• Targeted therapy
• Immunotherapy