Radiation Therapy for Head and Neck Cancers

Treatment for Head and Neck Cancer

Treatment for head and neck cancer depends on several factors, including the type of cancer, its size and stage, its location and your overall health. Surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy are the mainstays of treating head and neck cancers.

- Diagram of the structures of the mouth and throat.

• For many head and neck cancers, combining two or three types of treatment may be most effective. That is why it is important to talk to several cancer specialists about your care, including a surgeon, a radiation oncologist and a medical oncologist.
• An important concept in treating head and neck cancers is organ preservation where doctors are able to keep the function of an organ, like you natural ability to chew or taste food. An organ preservation approach uses radiation and sometimes chemotherapy to shrink or completely eliminate the tumor. This can allow some patients to avoid surgery.