Head and Neck Cancer Facts: Diagnosis and Treatment Options
Diagnosing Head and Neck Cancer
There are a few different types of healthcare providers that may be involved in the diagnosis of your head and neck cancer. Your dentist may have initially discovered the cancer and sent you to an oral surgeon or ENT surgeon, who will generally diagnose your cancer. They may then refer you to a team that includes a medical oncologist and a radiation oncologist. These two physicians will further evaluate the cancer and discuss treatment options.
If your healthcare provider suspects that you may have head and neck cancer, he or she will perform a physical exam, ask you questions about your signs and symptoms, go over your medical history, and perform diagnostic tests in order to rule out or confirm a diagnosis of head and neck cancer.
Your doctor may use one ore more of the following tests to diagnose head and neck cancer and determine if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body:
- Endoscopy: Your doctor may perform an endoscopy
that examines the inside of the body using a flexible, skinny tube with a light on it (called an endoscope). The endoscope is inserted through either the nose or mouth, depending on what parts of the head and neck need to be examined. This is usually done as an EUA (examination under anesthesia)
- Laboratory Tests: Your doctor may take a urine, blood , or other type of sample.
- X-Rays: Your doctor may take X-rays to closely examine areas of your head and neck on film.
- (CT) Scan: A CT scan
, created by a computer connected to an X-ray machine, will help your doctor see a series of detailed pictures of your head and neck.
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): Your doctor may take an MRI
scan, which uses strong magnets connected to a computer, to see detailed pictures of your head and neck.
- Positron Emission Tomography (PET): A PET
scan, which uses radioactive sugar injected into your vein, may help your doctor spot cancerous tissue.
- Biopsy: A biopsy
(removing tissue for examination) is the only sure way your doctor can determine if your lesion is in fact cancerous.
Head and Neck Cancer Treatment Options
Once you have been diagnosed with head and neck cancer and your doctor knows the extent of your cancer, you and your doctor will discuss and select the most appropriate treatment. There are many treatment options available, and the decision can be overwhelming. It is important to talk to your healthcare provider about any concerns you may have.
The stage of the head and neck cancer treatment varies depending on the location of the cancer and other factors. Your treatment may include one, a combination or none of the treatment options presented below.
- Surgery: Surgery may be performed to remove the cancer and surrounding tissue. In addition, lymph nodes
in the neck may be removed to check if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
- Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy
(using drugs to help kill cancer cells) may be used to treat head and neck cancer, including squamous cell carcinoma
of the head and neck (SCCHN). Chemotherapy works by killing rapidly proliferating cells in the body, including cancer cells. Chemotherapy administered before radiation therapy is know as induction chemotherapy. This could treat both your local cancer and any potential cancer outside the field of the radiotherapy that would follow.
- Radiation Therapy: Doctors may treat head and neck cancer patients with radiation therapy
. Radiation therapy kills cancer cells by using high-energy rays. When radiation therapy is delivered through the outside of the body, it is called external-beam radiation therapy. It also can be delivered through radioactive materials placed inside or close to the area where the cancer cells are. This is called internal radiation therapy or radiation implant.
- Chemoradiotherapy: Chemoradiotherapy refers to the use of radiotherapy and chemotherapy at the same time, and can be used either after surgery or after induction chemotherapy. Adding chemotherapy to radiotherapy enhances the effect of radiotherapy because of biological and chemical reasons.
Learn more about chemotherapy treatment for head and neck cancer, in the About Taxotere® section of this site. Also, be sure to visit the Understanding Chemotherapy section for tips on managing chemotherapy side effects and more.
