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. Surgery is sometimes used for cancer of the nasopharynx that does not respond to radiation.
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. If smoking tobacco or using smokeless tobacco is stopped before treatment is started, there is a better chance of surviving longer. Clinical researchers from the Head and Neck Oncology Program of the Comprehensive Cancer Center at the James were instrumental in developing a new treatment program for nasopharynx cancer which resulted in a dramatic improvement in the frequency of curing this disease. This treatement program includes the use of chemotherapy and radiation therapy followed by additional chemotherapy after completing the concurrent chemoradiotherapy.