Head & Neck Cancer Treatment

Recently Answered

• QAre there alternative treatments for head and neck cancers?

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  ADr. Jeanne Morrison, PhD answered

  <p>In addition to conventional therapy with surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, alternative treatments are sometimes used for head and neck cancer. None have been shown to reliably cure head and neck cancer, so using a...Full Answer
• QWhy is a dental visit needed before radiotherapy for head and neck cancer?

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  ADiana Meeks answered

  <p>Of the many possible side effects of radiotherapy (radiation therapy) for head and neck cancer, osteoradionecrosis is one of the most serious. Osteoradionecrosis is the death (necrosis) of bone caused by the disruptio...Full Answer
• QHow are head and neck cancers treated?

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  ADr. Jeanne Morrison, PhD answered

  <p>The treatment of head and neck cancers depends on the location of the tumor and the extent of spread to surrounding tissues, lymph nodes, and distant areas. The three main options are surgery, radiation therapy, an...Full Answer
• QHow do medications treat head and neck cancers?

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  ADiana Meeks answered

  <p>The primary medications used to treat head and neck cancers are chemotherapy drugs. These drugs kill cancer cells throughout the body and are most commonly used for head and neck cancers that have spread to sites dist...Full Answer
• QHow does radiation therapy treat head and neck cancer?

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  ADr. Jeanne Morrison, PhD answered

  <p>Radiation therapy treats head and neck cancer by delivering radiation - usually high-energy x-rays - to the tumor. This radiation kills the cancer cells. Most commonly, the radiation is produced outside the body and t...Full Answer
• QWhat are the side effects of chemotherapy for head and neck cancer?

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  ADiana Meeks answered

  <p>The side effects of chemotherapy for head and neck cancer depend on the specific type of chemotherapy drug used. The more common side effects are hair loss, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sores in the mouth (mucositis), ...Full Answer
• QWhat are the side effects of radiation therapy for head and neck cancer?

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  ADr. Jeanne Morrison, PhD answered

  <p>Radiation therapy (radiotherapy) for head and neck cancer can produce many side effects. These include redness and inflammation of the skin (dermatitis), redness and sores in the mouth and throat (mucositis), dry mout...Full Answer
• QWhat are the side effects of surgery for my head and neck cancer?

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  ADiana Meeks answered

  <p>The side effects of surgery for head and neck cancer depend on the location of the cancer and the type and extent of surgery. Surgery in the mouth, throat, or larynx (voice box) tends to cause the most disruption of f...Full Answer
• QHow does surgery treat head and neck cancer?

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  ADr. Jeanne Morrison, PhD answered

  <p>Surgery treats head and neck cancer by removing the tumor cells from the body. The surgeon usually tries to remove the entire tumor, plus an area of normal cells around it. This area of normal cells is often called th...Full Answer
• QHow are head and neck cancers caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) treated?

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  APenn Medicine answered

  While HPV has most been linked to cervical, anus and skin cancers, recent studies suggest the same strain of HPV can also cause oropharyngeal (head and neck) cancer.<br /> <br /> Oropharyngeal cancer develops in the pa...Full Answer