These tumors can be discovered relatively early and therefore are highly curable either by surgery or radiation therapy. The selection of the treatment methods depends on the extent and location of the original tumors and neck nodal spread, the physical health of the patients, the expertise of the surgeons and radiation oncologists and the availability of treatment equipment and techniques, and others. In general the early tumors are best suited for radiation therapy, and the advanced tumors are often treated by combination of surgery and radiation. For the large tumors, combined surgery and radiation is preferred and can offer the patients a good chance of survival. Cancers of the tonsil and tongue base These tumors generally present difficulties for surgery due to their strategic location and radical resection may result functional and cosmetic mutilation.
Radical surgery is used for salvaging radiation failures.
The aims of treatment of the larynx is to eradicate the cancers with preservation of the speech and swallowing mechanism. Over ten thousand patients were treated by radiation for the past 30 years with excellent results. The large, neglected tumors are currently treated by combined surgery and radiation, and the patients' voice has to be sacrificed in order to save life. Cancers of the nasopharynx These tumors are rare in the US, and the experience in most of the treatment centers is limited. Radiation therapy for this disease is the treatment of choice and calls for extreme technical sophistication and know-how.