Head & Neck Surgery
Treating head & neck problems
Head and neck problems include cancer; any cancer that appears in the head or neck region, including the nasal cavity, sinuses, lip, mouth, salivary glands, throat or larynx.
According to the National Cancer Institute, head and neck cancers account for approximately 3 percent to 5 percent of all cancers in the United States. Head and neck cancers are more common in men and in people over age 50. It is estimated that about 40,000 men and women in this country will develop head and neck cancer in 2007.
Tobacco (including smokeless tobacco, sometimes called “chewing tobacco” or “snuff”) and alcohol use are the most important risk factors for head and neck cancers. Eighty-five percent of head and neck cancers are linked to tobacco use. People who use both tobacco and alcohol are at greater risk for developing these cancers than people who use either tobacco or alcohol alone.
The treatment plan for an individual patient depends on a number of factors, including the exact location of the tumor (including parotid or thyroid glands), the stage of the cancer and the person’s age and general health. We consider all treatment options carefully and take a conservative, organ-sparing approach. Our board-certified otolaryngologists, including one who is fellowship-trained in head and neck surgery, will discuss each type of treatment and how it might affect the patient.
Your surgeon may recommend surgery, radiation or chemotherapy. Lymph nodes in the neck may also be removed (lymph node dissection), if the doctor suspects that the cancer has spread. Surgery may be followed by radiation therapy.
Chemotherapy, also called anticancer drugs, is another option. This treatment is used to kill cancer cells throughout the body.
Of course, not all head and neck problems are cancerous.
There are benign growths, bumps, lumps and lesions as well as swollen lymph nodes. And at North Florida Otolaryngology Associates (NFOA), we treat them all.
For more information about head and neck tumors including parotid and thryoid gland contact us at our Baptist location at 398-5301 or our St. Vincent location at 387-3001.