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    Head and Neck Cancer

    Head and Neck Cancer

    Overview
    Head and neck cancers in our country constitute approximately 35% all cancer cases in and more than 60 to 80% of patients present with advanced disease.
    Being aggressive tumours, a comprehensive cancer care is needed for treatment of head and neck cancers
    Head and Neck Oncology provides comprehensive treatment and rehabilitation for patients afflicted with cancers arising in the head and neck, such as:
    • Oral cancer (including gums and tongue)
    • Throat cancer, also known as cancer of the pharynx or pharyngeal cancer
    • Voice box cancer, also known as cancer of the larynx or laryngeal cancer
    • Sinus cancer
    • Salivary gland cancer

    Signs and symptoms
    Symptoms of H&N cancer vary according to the site of origin of cancer.
    The presence of any of the following, if present for more than four weeks mandates a visit to the Head & Neck surgeon:
    • A non-healing sore/ulcer in the mouth/tongue or lip
    • A white or red patch on the gums, tongue or lining of the mouth
    • Inability to protrude the tongue
    • Inability to open the mouth properly
    • Swelling of the gums that prevents dentures from fitting properly
    • Unusual bleeding, pain or numbness in the mouth or cheek
    • Thickening of the cheek
    • Loose teeth
    • Earache/headache
    • Feeling of something getting stuck in the throat/ a sore throat that does not go away
    • Slurred speech
    • Change in voice/ hoarseness
    • Painful and/or difficulty in swallowing
    • Difficulty in breathing
    • Swelling around and/or under the jaw which may be accompanied by numbness or paralysis of one side of the face
    • Weight loss
    • Swelling in the midline of the lower neck which moves with swallowing
    • Progressively enlarging lumps in the neck
    • Streaking of blood in sputum

    What are the treatment options?
    Different types of treatment options are available for patients with cancers of the head and neck.
    1. Surgery
    • Complex head and neck cancer resection surgeries
    • Endoscopic surgery
    • Reconstructive head and neck surgery
    • Plastic surgery for cosmetic and functional reconstruction
    • Advanced skull base tumour resections
    • Orbital and maxillary tumours resection and reconstruction
    • Laryngeal tumours resection with reconstruction and voice rehabilitation
    2. Chemotherapy
    • Oral chemotherapy drugs
    • Systemic chemotherapy
    • Targeted drug therapy
    • Immunotherapy
    3. Radiation Therapy
    • Intensity-modulated radiation therapy
    • Stereotactic radiation therapy
    • Image-guided radiation therapy
    • Motion management with CT & PET scan and CT, along with respiratory gating
    4. Diagnostic Services
    • Sentinel lymph node biopsy
    • Ultrasound-guided biopsies
    5. Radiology
    • PET (positron emission tomography) scans
    • High-resolution CT (computed tomography) scans
    • Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
    6. Speech & Swallowing Rehabilitation post-surgery