RUSH MD Anderson offers advanced head and neck cancer treatment in the Chicago area for cancers affecting the mouth, throat, thyroid, sinuses, nasal cavities, skin and salivary glands.
Here, you’ll have access to comprehensive treatment options for head and neck cancer, including radiation therapy, immunotherapy and minimally invasive procedures. Our team of medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, head and neck surgeons, plastic surgeons, speech therapists, nutritionists and other providers will work together to develop a personalized treatment plan for you.
What is Head and Neck Cancer?
Head and neck cancer is a broad term for many cancers affecting the mouth, throat, thyroid and sinuses, nasal cavity, skin and salivary glands. The most common types of head and neck cancer are thyroid cancer, mouth (oral) cancer, throat cancer and voice box (larynx) cancer.
In some cases, head and neck cancer may affect your sinuses, salivary glands and parathyroid glands. These cancers can cause throat pain, neck pain and can affect your speech and ability to swallow. Treatment options for head and neck cancer will depend on the type of cancer you have, if it has spread to other areas of your body and your overall health.
Signs and Symptoms of Head and Neck Cancers
Symptoms of head and neck cancers include:
- A lump or sore in the mouth that does not heal
- Bleeding through the nose
- Changes in your voice or hoarseness
- Trouble or painful swallowing
- Neck swelling that does not go away
- Chronic sinus infections that do not respond to treatment with antibiotics
- Numbness or paralysis of the muscles in the face
- Pain in the face, chin, neck or throat that does not go away
- Sinuses that are blocked and do not clear
- Sore throat that does not go away
- Swelling or other trouble with the eye
- Unusual bleeding or pain in your mouth
- White or red patch on the gums, tongue or lining of the mouth
Many different conditions can cause these symptoms, so it’s important to see your doctor to get an accurate diagnosis.
Meet our head and neck cancer care providers
How Head and Neck Cancer is Diagnosed
At RUSH MD Anderson, specialists use advanced tools, including imaging, biopsies and endoscopies to diagnose head and neck cancer.
In most cases, your provider will begin by examining your head and neck. They will check your mouth, nasal cavities, throat and neck for any lumps. They may use a mirror to look inside your mouth for any sores or lumps.
After a physical exam, you may have imaging or tests to diagnose your condition:
- Imaging tests: You may have an ultrasound, MRI, CT scan or PET scan to identify any tumors in your head and neck, and to see if the cancer has spread.
- Endoscopy: If your provider suspects you have cancer in your throat, they may use an endoscopy to diagnose tumors. This imaging procedure places a small camera through your mouth and down your throat. During an endoscopy, your provider may perform a biopsy, taking a small piece of tissue from your throat to test for cancerous cells.
- Fine needle biopsy: In some cases, your provider may insert a needle into your neck to take a small sample of tissue. This sample will be tested for cancerous cells.
Head and Neck Cancer Treatment
RUSH MD Anderson offers many advanced treatment options for head and neck cancer. Your treatment options will depend on the type of cancer you have, the stage of your cancer, your overall health and goals. Your care team will create a treatment plan personalized for you.
- Surgery: RUSH MD Anderson is a leader in minimally invasive surgery to remove head and neck tumors. Some tumors can be removed through transoral robotic surgery (TORS), a procedure to remove tumors in the mouth and throat without large incisions. º£½ÇÔ´´ is a leading center for TORS in the Midwest. Expert head and neck surgeons at RUSH MD Anderson have performed many minimally invasive procedures and used TORS since it was an emerging technology.
- Radiation therapy: RUSH MD Anderson provides advanced radiation therapy techniques to treat head and neck cancer. Radiation therapy is often used to destroy remaining tumor cells after surgery, to treat tumors that recur (come back) after previous treatments or to slow the growth of tumors that can’t be removed with surgery. At RUSH MD Anderson, you’ll have access to radiation oncologists specializing in head and neck cancers. They’ll develop a personalized treatment plan for your condition.
- Chemotherapy: Targeted drugs can help stop or slow the growth of some types of head and neck cancer. Depending on the type of cancer you have, your team may recommend chemotherapy alone or combined with radiation or surgery.
- Immunotherapy: These drugs help the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells. This treatment is used for advanced or recurrent head and neck cancer.
- Targeted therapy: These drugs are designed to block specific pathways that allow cancer cells to grow and spread.
- Reconstructive surgery: In some cases, treatment for head and neck tumors can alter your appearance and ability to speak and swallow. Reconstructive surgery can restore your appearance and function, including rebuilding bone, tissue and facial structures.
- Radiofrequency ablation: This minimally invasive treatment can shrink or destroy some cancerous thyroid nodules.
- Supportive therapy: Head and neck cancer can affect the way you speak and swallow. You may receive speech therapy, occupational therapy and nutritional counseling before or after treatment to support your recovery and improve your quality of life.
Getting a Second Opinion from RUSH MD Anderson Cancer Center
Have you been diagnosed with cancer? Consider a second opinion from RUSH MD Anderson. A second opinion can help you explore all your options and begin treatment with confidence and clarity.
RUSH MD Anderson offers easy access to second opinions, including free virtual intake visits with our knowledgeable nurse navigators for anyone in Illinois.
Choosing RUSH MD Anderson for Head and Neck Cancer Care
- A multidisciplinary team focused on you: We bring together a team of experts — head and neck surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, endocrine surgeons, nurse navigators, speech and language pathologists, dieticians, physical and occupational therapists and reconstructive surgeons to a specialized care plan for you. Your case will be reviewed by a tumor board, bringing together experts from multiple specialties in one room to develop a personalized treatment plan to meet your goals.
- Advanced treatments: RUSH MD Anderson offers advanced treatments for head and neck cancers. Our experts provide innovative radiation treatment, including intensity modulated radiation therapy, which allows your team to target cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue. We also provide advanced immunotherapies, which can treat recurrent and metastatic head and neck cancers.
- Minimally invasive care: RUSH MD Anderson’s head and neck cancer surgeons are experts in minimally invasive procedures, including transoral robotic surgery (TORS). This new standard in head and neck cancer care helps patients recover faster with less scarring than traditional surgery. Head and neck cancer surgeons at RUSH MD Anderson have specialized training and years of experience with TORS and Rush is one of the leading TORS centers in the Midwest.
- Expert second opinions: RUSH MD Anderson provides second opinions for patients diagnosed with head and neck cancers. A second opinion can help you understand all your treatment options. Virtual intake visits are available for patients in Illinois as soon as today or tomorrow.
- Personalized medicine: Through our partnership with Tempus, a biotechnology company, we can use the data from your genetic makeup and how your tumor grows to create a targeted plan to prevent, screen and treat head and neck cancers.
FAQs About Head and Neck Cancer
Symptoms of head and neck cancer can be related to many different conditions. It’s important to see your doctor if you have a lump in your neck that does not go away, white or red patches in your mouth, a sore throat that does not get better, changes in your voice, unusual bleeding or pain in your mouth or any other symptoms in your head and neck that do not get better after several weeks.
There are many causes of head and neck cancer. Several factors can raise your risk for developing these types of cancer, including long-term tobacco and alcohol use.
Infection with human papillomavirus, or HPV, is also linked to head and neck cancer.
If your doctor suspects you may have head or neck cancer, they will likely begin with a physical exam. Then, you may have an endoscopy or other procedure to biopsy cells. You may also have imaging to identify if tumors have spread.
There are many treatment options for head and neck cancers. Your options will depend on the type of cancer you have, its stage and your overall health. Common treatments for head and neck cancer include surgery and radiation therapy. In some cases, your doctor may recommend chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy or other treatments.
Yes, some head and neck cancers can be cured. Cancers found in early stages, before they have spread to the lymph nodes or other organs, are more likely to be cured through surgery, radiation or other treatments. Your doctor will discuss your specific case and treatment options with you.
Many specialists treat head and neck cancer. Depending on your condition, your treatment team may include ENT specialists, surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists and rehabilitation experts.
Yes. Human papillomavirus, or HPV, infection, can cause cancer in the mouth and throat. These cancers can develop years or decades after an HPV infection. However, most people with HPV will not develop cancer.
If you’ve been diagnosed with head or neck cancer, a second opinion can help you explore all your treatment options. RUSH MD Anderson Cancer Center offers second opinions for all types of cancer, including virtual intake visits for patients in Illinois.
U.S. News & World Report ranked º£½ÇÔ´´ among the best in the nation for cancer care.
