A number of special problems face individuals diagnosed with head and neck cancer.  The significance of the upper aerodigestive tract in eating, drinking, speaking and breathing demands special care in avoiding dysfunction to such basic processes. 

Patients with head and neck cancers are seen at the Moncrief Radiation Oncology Center by direct referral or in conjunction with the multi-disciplinary oncology program at UT Southwestern Medical Center.  A multi-disciplinary strategy combining surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy is used for most advanced head and neck cancers. The most common cancer sites treated include paranasal sinus, nasopharynx, tonsil, palate, base of tongue, pharyngeal wall, oral tongue, floor of mouth, retromolar trigone, alveolus, larynx (including vocal cord), hypopharyngeal and tracheal.

The center has in-depth experience in:

• 3-D conformal radiotherapy
• Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT)
• Brachytherapy
• Combinations of these therapies
  

Ongoing research is helping our department develop new treatments for head and neck cancers.