Our team of experts treats head and neck cancer with leading-edge tools and techniques that support your long-term well-being.
Catching head and neck cancer early can improve your treatment and long-term outcomes. That’s why it’s important to see your primary care doctor or an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist right away if you notice any of these signs:
If you have symptoms of head and neck cancer, your doctor may use one of the following tests or tools to diagnose you:
Your primary care doctor or ENT specialist will carefully examine your mouth, neck and head. The results of this exam help determine what tests to order next.
For this test, your doctor takes a small sample of abnormal tissue and examines it under a microscope.
Your doctor uses a tiny camera attached to a thin, flexible tube (endoscope) to look inside your head and neck. Based on what part of the head or neck your doctor needs to examine, this test may be called a laryngoscopy or nasopharyngoscopy.
Your doctor may order radiology exams, including CT, MRI, PET or ultrasound, to confirm the location of your cancer and whether it has spread.
We offer some of the most advanced medical, surgical and radiation treatments available. Your treatment plan may include one or more of the following:
Our comprehensive head and neck cancer program includes support services that help care for your overall well-being during and after treatment.
At The Christ Hospital Health Network, our head and neck cancer specialists combine medical expertise with empathy and compassion. As your partner, we treat your cancer and support you at every step of your journey.
Advanced research opens doors to new, more effective head and neck cancer treatments. Through exciting clinical trials, our doctors are on the front lines of studying immunotherapy drugs called checkpoint inhibitors. These therapies offer new hope to patients whose cancer has returned and doesn’t respond to conventional treatments.
Your fight against head and neck cancer isn’t just physical. It also takes a mental and emotional toll. To support your overall well-being, we offer a wide range of support services and integrative medicine programs. These include Tai Chi classes, chair yoga, music therapy, pet therapy and more.
A head and neck cancer diagnosis can raise many concerns and questions. You may worry how your cancer—and cancer treatment—will impact your daily life and future. To help you make the most informed decisions about your care, we offer the clear, honest answers you deserve. And we’ll be by your side at every step from treatment to recovery and beyond.
Head and neck cancer affects one of approximately 25 different organs, glands, muscles, cavities or other structures in your head or neck. Anyone can develop head and neck cancer. But it is most common in people who use alcohol or tobacco products. People who use both alcohol and tobacco are at the highest risk.
Head and neck cancer is the broad term for any cancer that grows in one of these areas. There are several kinds of head and neck cancer, each named for the specific organ or region of the head or neck it affects. People infected with certain strains of human papillomavirus (HPV) are at greater risk of developing oral cancer or oropharyngeal cancers that affect the tonsils or base of the tongue.
Head and neck cancer isn’t fully preventable. But you can take steps to reduce your risk significantly. These include:
Some types of head and neck cancer include:
