Head and Neck Cancer Australia
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Overview
The main treatments for head and neck cancers are surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy. You may have one or more treatments.
You can prepare for treatment by stopping smoking, seeing your dentist, and improving your diet and nutrition.
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Types of treatment
Head and neck cancers may be treated in different ways, depending on the type, location and stage of the cancer, your general health and what is important to you. The key treatments for head and neck cancers are:
Surgery
Removes cancer or repairs a part of the body affected by cancer; sometimes used as the main treatment.Radiation therapy
The use of targeted radiation to kill or damage cancer cells; sometimes used as the main treatment.Chemotherapy
The use of drugs that kill cancer cells or slow their growth; usually combined with radiation therapy, which is known as chemoradiation.Other drug therapies
Targeted therapy targets specific features of cancer cells to stop the cancer growing and spreading. Immunotherapy uses the body’s own immune system to fight cancer.You may have one or more treatments. You may be able to have new treatments through clinical trials. Treatment will be tailored to your situation.
Most head and neck cancers and some complex skin cancers of the head and neck should be discussed at a multidisciplinary team meeting (MDT) in a specialised head and neck cancer centre.
There can be extra costs during cancer treatment, even if you have private health insurance or are a public patient. Healthcare providers must tell you how much you’ll pay for tests, treatments, medicines and hospital care. This is called informed financial consent. Call Cancer Connect on 13 11 20 for more information.
Preparing for treatment
It is important to look after your health before treatment begins. This will help you cope with side effects and can improve treatment outcomes.
Stop smoking
Stop smoking
Begin or continue an exercise program
Begin or continue an exercise program
Exercise will help build up your strength for recovery. Talk to your doctor, physiotherapist or an exercise physiologist about the right type of exercise for you.
See a dentist
See a dentist
Treatments for head and neck cancer can affect your mouth, gums and teeth. Your specialist may refer you to a dentist or oral medicine specialist who understands the treatments you will be having. You will need a full check-up and an oral health care plan covering any dental work you need and how to care for your mouth.
Improve diet and nutrition
Improve diet and nutrition
A dietitian can suggest ways to get the right nutrition before, during and after treatment by changing your diet or taking liquid nutritional supplements. This will help maintain your weight and muscle mass, improve your strength and energy levels, and may mean the treatment works better.
Avoid alcohol
Avoid alcohol
Alcohol irritates mouth sores from the cancer or treatment.
Palliative treatment
In some cases of very advanced head and neck cancer, the treatment team may talk to you about palliative treatment. This aims to improve your quality of life by managing the symptoms without trying to cure the disease. When used as palliative treatment, radiation therapy and chemotherapy or other drug therapies can help manage pain and other symptoms, and may slow the cancer’s spread.
Listen to Cancer Council's The Thing About Advanced Cancer podcast series.
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