The way someone suffers from head and neck cancer will depend on the site in which the problem arises. For instance, cancers that start around the vocal chords are likely to behave very differently from cancers that arise around the back of the tongue. The most common form of cancer that can be found in the head or neck is "squamous cell carcinoma", which comes from the cells lining the throat, mouth, and nose. This type of cancer is frequently associated with smoking, or exposure to HPV. Some other forms of head and neck cancer might include lymphomas, salivary gland tumors, and sarcomas.
Here, we'll look at the best treatment options to help manage head and neck cancer.
The Treatment Options Available:
If you've been diagnosed with any form of head and neck cancer, then chances are that you'll be given a range of different types of treatment to help manage the symptoms of your condition, and potentially cure the cancer. When it comes to the best treatment options to help manage head and neck cancer, the main three types are chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation therapy. The optimal combination of the three treatments for a patient with head or neck cancer will depend on the extent of the disease.
Typically, people with early-stage cancer in the neck and head, particularly those limited to the origin site, are treated with one solution, either surgery or radiation therapy. However, patients with more intensive cancers are generally treated using a concurrent amount of radiation and chemotherapy. Depending on the specific scenario, patients are sometimes treated using surgery after radiation and chemotherapy.
Radiation Therapy and Surgery:
If your doctor believes that the best treatment options to help manage head and neck cancer include radiation therapy and surgery, then you will receive a combination of surgery to remove the affected lymph nodes in the neck, and radiation therapy to remove the excess disease that might be spreading throughout the head and neck.
Surgery for head and neck cancer can be performed before and after radiation therapy. In most circumstances, if the surgical removal of a primary tumor in the cancer is required, then radiation will be given afterwards to ensure that all of the dangerous cells have been eradicated. However, in some cases, the cancer may be extensive, or it may not be feasible for the cancer to be removed completely. Radiotherapy is offered in this case to attempt to shrink the tumor, and then the surgery can follow that radiation therapy.
Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy:
Studies indicate that chemotherapy which is given at the same time as radiation therapy is generally more effective than chemotherapy given before a course of radiation therapy. This may mean that radiation treatment schedules will sometimes include chemotherapy when the stage of cancer is particularly advanced. Drugs can also be given in conjunction with radiation therapy to limit the symptoms of the treatment.
Your doctor will be able to help you find the best course of treatment for your specific needs.