Head and Neck Cancer Treatment

There are several risk factors for head and neck cancers. Some are lifestyle habits while others are not controllable. The risk factors include:

• Alcohol and tobacco use – This is the largest preventable risk factor for developing cancers of the head and neck.
• Other substance use – such as chewing betel nuts, popular in Southeast Asia
• Radiation exposure
• Epstein-Barr virus infection
• Poor oral care
• East Asian ancestry

The symptoms of various head and neck cancers include:

• Lips and oral cavity – pain, swelling, or bleeding within the mouth, and/or red or white patches on the gums or tongue.
• Nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses – chronic and frequent sinus infections, swelling in the sinuses, frequent nosebleeds.
• Salivary glands – Swelling in the neck or around the jaw, numbness and tingling in the mouth or jaw.
• Pharynx – Trouble swallowing, decreased hearing acuity, ringing in the ears, or swelling in the neck.
• Larynx – Otalgia (ear pain) and dysphagia (pain or difficulty with swallowing).

At Sheba Medical Center, cancers of the head and neck are addressed by our team consisting of some of the top surgeons in Israel and the world, along with medical and radiation oncologists. Although the exact treatment is dependent upon the location of the cancer, how far the cancer has progressed, and the patient’s unique situation, most head and neck cancers are treated surgically in their early stages. This means the goal of neck cancer treatment is the removal of the tumor(s) through surgery.

The cancer stage can be evaluated through a combination of physical examination, pathologic examination after biopsy or aspiration, and by diagnostic imaging techniques. At Sheba, these techniques include CT scans as well as some of the most advanced PET scans available in the world.

If deemed appropriate by the diagnosis, other therapies may be used, including radiation therapy, both external beam and with implantable radioactive material, and chemotherapy. In addition, Sheba Medical Center offers the latest in cutting edge robotic surgery and sentinel lymph node biopsies.

Other revolutionary procedures being performed at Sheba include endoscopic surgery of the salivary glands. While this procedure can be used for a variety of salivary gland issues, it may also be employed as a treatment for salivary gland cancer. Also, Sheba has a team of head and neck surgeons who specialize in surgery to the skull base. These procedures are able to access skull base tumors without intruding into the brain, reducing patient risk and maximizing positive outcomes.

A vital part of complete cancer treatment and comprehensive medical care is restoring the patient to their previous whole self. Cancers of the head and neck can leave major structural and cosmetic defects. Therefore, Sheba Medical Center has a team of plastic surgeons, head and neck surgeons, and maxillofacial surgeons dedicated to reconstructive surgery for our cancer patients.

Not only can these surgeons often restore a patient’s appearance but also their full function. This is done in the form of voice and airway reconstruction. In addition, Sheba possesses an outpatient Facial Nerve Rehabilitation Clinic that offers therapy for patients with facial nerve paralysis, whether resulting from cancer or some other cause.