Head and neck cancer is a term that can include the broad array of tumors which may arise in this anatomically diverse region of the human body. Tumors of the thyroid, salivary, and parathyroid glands, as well as cancers of the brain, nose and paranasal sinuses, esophagus, and eye, are not usually categorized as head and neck cancer. Furthermore, tumors of the skin, muscle and bone arising in the head and neck are also typically not included in this term.
The area known as the floor of the mouth is a mobile area between the lower jaw and gum and the oral tongue. In medical terminology, the throat is known as the pharynx. In fact, the pharynx is supple tube or funnel that connects both the nose and mouth to the swallowing tube or esophagus. The pharynx is composed of three parts: the nasopharynx the area just behind the nose ; the oropharynx behind the oral cavity and in the back of the mouth], and the hypopharynx, which surrounds the voice box and leads into the esophagus.
The larynx critical not only for the production of speech, but also breathing and swallowing. HNOP offers multi-disciplinary, collaborative and integrated evaluation and care for patients with head and neck cancers. Minimally invasive or endoscopic head and neck surgery eHNS is a dynamic new approach that allows surgeons to remove tumors with use of a specialized endocopes and cameras without external incisions and usually with little or no change in speech, appearance, and swallowing function.
An endoscope is a long, thin tube with special lighting and a narrow lens through which the surgeon can view organs and tissue inside of the body. Using very precise, state-of-the-art surgical instruments that are also inserted through the mouth, the surgeon can perform the operation without an external incision.
In some cases of throat cancer, eHNS may reduce or even eliminate the need for chemotherapy and radiation therapy. At Stanford, your team of surgeons, oncologists, and radiologists will work together to determine the best course of action for you. The goal with eHNS is always the same: to eliminate the cancer while minimizing the risks and recovery time associated with traditional cancer care. Chemotherapy or radiation therapy may still be necessary after eHNS. When chemotherapy and radiation therapy cannot be avoided through surgery, eHNS may still hold advantages for patients.
