UT Southwestern Medical Center is a national leader in the diagnosis and treatment of head and neck cancers. Our clinicians and researchers are respected authorities in head and neck cancers, and our surgeons perform more than 8,000 procedures each year, including mandibular and thyroid surgeries.

The specialists at UT Southwestern treat cancers involving the lips, tongue, tonsils, palate, pharynx, larynx, sinuses, saliva glands and neck lymph nodes as well as skin cancers on the face, scalp or neck. Our physicians are sensitive to the importance of the patient’s self-image and appearance, and are committed to restoring and safeguarding facial aesthetics as well as functions.

Our Head and Neck Cancer Program utilizes some of the most advanced diagnostic and treatment technologies available in the U.S., including magnetic-resonance imaging (MRI) and positron-emission tomography (PET). Advanced treatments and procedures used at UT Southwestern include image-guided surgery, laser techniques, CyberKnife, Gamma Knife and other types of radiation therapies.

In addition to treating cancer of the head and neck, UT Southwestern has a multi-disciplinary team of physicians who specialize in tumors at the skull base. The Skull Base Surgery program focuses on the removal of tumors from the ear, brain and lateral skull base, as well as other skull base disorders. Our team has extensive experience in the latest minimally-invasive techniques, which minimize complications and preserve normal neurologic and facial function.

The specialists in our Head and Neck Cancer Program employ the latest advances in medical research to make an important difference in patients’ lives and improve their outlook on the future. Our physicians help patients fully understand and evaluate their treatment options to provide the best results possible.

Depending on a patient’s specific condition, UT Southwestern offers a clinical trials program that gives patients access to advanced therapies years before they become available to the general public. Our specialists can discuss with patients whether their diagnosis makes them a candidate for some of these groundbreaking treatments, which may provide superior therapeutic results with fewer side effects when compared to conventional treatments.

Patients with head and neck skin cancer can also be treated by our dermatology service.