Types of Head & Neck Cancer We Treat
Our Cancer Care team has significant experience treating patients with different head and neck cancers including:
- Hypopharyngeal cancer (lower throat cancer)
- Laryngeal cancer (voice box cancer)
- Nasal cavity cancer (nose cancer)
- Nasopharyngeal cancer (upper throat cancer)
- Oral cavity cancer (mouth cancer)
- Oropharyngeal cancer (throat cancer)
- Paranasal sinuses cancer (sinus cancer)
- Salivary gland cancer
While they don’t fall under the umbrella of head and neck cancer, we also have expertise treating brain cancer.
Symptoms & Diagnosis
Head and neck cancer can feel like or lead to:
- A lump in the neck
- Difficulty speaking or changes in your voice
- Earaches
- Facial or neck pain or swelling
- Frequent nosebleeds or stuffy nose
- Headaches
- Pain in your teeth or pain chewing or swallowing
- Sore throat
- Sores that don’t heal in your mouth or on your face, neck or lips
- Unexplained weight loss
These symptoms may vary depending on where your cancer starts. You know your body well, and if you think you are feeling any of these head and neck cancer symptoms, reach out to your primary care doctor so we can learn more about what might be causing them.
We use different tests to diagnose head and neck cancer. Your care team will run imaging tests like CT scans and MRIs. We may also conduct an endoscopy, a procedure where we look inside your throat, nasal passages or other parts of your head and neck with a small camera attached to a scope. If these exams are abnormal, we take a tissue sample (biopsy) from your tumor to confirm a diagnosis.
If these tests find cancer, we refer you for a cancer consultation with an oncologist who specializes in head and neck cancer treatment. This expert reviews your test results and medical history to learn more about your diagnosis and form a treatment plan tailored to your needs.
We know learning you have head and neck cancer can feel scary. That’s why we are committed to seeing you for a cancer consultation as quickly as possible — often within 48 hours — after your diagnosis so we can discuss treatment options, order additional tests and address any questions without delay.
Treatments
Your head and neck cancer is unique and you deserve a personalized care plan tailored to your needs and your type of cancer. Each week, the Cancer Care team convenes a tumor board that brings together experts from across disciplines to collaborate on customized care plans for you. This collaboration has one common goal — to make sure you get the best possible care. Our multidisciplinary team of specialists, including surgical, medical and radiation oncologists working alongside neurosurgeons, neurologists, radiologists and pathologists, is here to care for you through every part of your treatment.
Surgery
Radiation
In addition to surgery or as a standalone treatment, your cancer care team may recommend radiation therapy to eliminate your head and neck cancer. Radiation oncologists at our Radiation Treatment Center have treated thousands of patients, and we use state-of-the-art radiation treatments, including stereotactic radiosurgery, adaptive radiation therapy and intensity-modulated radiation therapy, to treat head and neck cancer with speed and precision.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is often used alongside other treatments to fight head and neck cancer. We work with you to determine if chemotherapy is a good option for your head and neck cancer and collaborate on the right combination of anticancer drugs, anti-nausea medicine and pain medication for your needs. El Camino Health is also at the forefront of hospitals using targeted therapy, a precise approach that finds a unique combination of drugs to combat your head and neck cancer. We analyze your tumor to learn about its protein and chemical makeup, then use the latest research to find which drugs will have the greatest impact fighting it.
Clinical Trials
We are always looking for the next opportunity to improve detection, ease treatment and find better cures for your head and neck cancer. That’s why we collaborate with other medical centers and the National Cancer Institute on clinical trials ranging from innovative radiation and chemotherapy to novel immunotherapy and targeted drugs.
If you’re interested in participating in this leading-edge research, talk to your care team to find a study that’s right for you.
Cancer Awards & Accreditations
Our superior Cancer Care has earned us a three-year accreditation as a comprehensive community cancer program from the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). Accreditation ensures that the care you receive right here in your community is high-quality and uses evidence-based, national treatment guidelines.
We’re also an ACS Surgical Quality Partner and committed to the highest surgery standards.
Patients rate us highly, too. Based on PressGaney patient satisfaction surveys, our “likeliness to recommend” score is over 90%, and we’ve won the top patient experience award multiple years in a row.
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Cancer Patient Stories
You are our inspiration. Hear how El Camino Health Cancer Care has helped other patients beat cancer — and how we can support you at every step of the way.
