Neck dissection is sometimes performed in conjunction with radiation therapy for patients with a neck lump or mass. Other treatments There are several non-surgical treatment options that may be combined with surgery or used in place of surgery. These treatment options are applicable to all types of Head and Neck Cancers. For Head and Neck Cancer, alternate treatments are important to reduce the need for extensive surgical procedures resulting in loss of function or disfigurement. External beam radiation therapy uses radiation from outside the body to focus on the cancer.
Radiation can also come from radioactive materials placed directly into or near the tumor.
This is called brachytherapy . You should discuss these options with your doctor to explore different treatment approaches. Chemotherapy - Drugs are administered by mouth or injection to kill the cancer cells. The drugs enter the blood stream and can, therefore, reach areas of the body where the cancer may have spread. Some recent studies have demonstrated the advantage of combining radiation therapy and chemotherapy for patients with advanced Head and Neck Cancers.