If smoking is stopped before radiation therapy is started, a patient has a better chance of surviving longer. Surgeons of radiation therapy at The James have developed a team approach using both surgery and specialized irradiation given during the surgery of some of these cancers. External radiation to the thyroid or the pituitary gland may change the way the thyroid gland works. The doctor may wish to test the thyroid gland before and after therapy to make sure it is working properly. Link to the department of Radiation Oncology at The James.
Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells.
Chemotherapy may be taken by pill, or it may be put into the body by a needle in the vein or muscle. Chemotherapy is called a systemic treatment because the drug enters the bloodstream, travels through the body, and can kill cancer cells throughout the body. Surgeons, radiation therapists, and chemotherapy specialists at The James have developed a special treatment approach to larger oral cavity cancers which is intended to increase the effectiveness of treatment for the oral cavity area, the neck nodes, and any potential microscopic cancer cells located in distant sites. The analysis of patients treated in this fashion is showing great promise in achieving the overall goal of improving the cure rate. If smoking tobacco or using smokeless tobacco is stopped before treatment is started, there is a better chance of surviving longer.