Head and Neck Cancer Treatment

When decisions are made by the multidisciplinary team for the treatment of a patient with head and neck cancer, quality of life issues are paramount and are given strong consideration. Surgery is the main form of treatment for head and neck cancers, and today such surgery is often much less disfiguring than patients may fear. Numerous surgical procedures have been developed that preserve the organ function and facial appearance than was possible in the past. Reconstructive surgery has improved dramatically, as has the ability to preserve the larynx, to speech loss.

Other options for treatment include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy (PDT) and a combination of both of these options, including surgery. Great advances in these fields have made it possible to treat many cancers that would have once been considered untreatable. At RPCI, treatment does not end with the eradication of the tumor. To help patients recover and to preserve quality of life, RPCI’s speech therapist offers a range of rehabilitation and support services, including evaluation of voice and swallowing disorders, restoration of swallowing and speech rehabilitation.