Head and Neck Cancer
Malignant (cancerous) tumors in the oral cavity (mouth), pharynx (throat), larynx (voice box), nose, sinuses, salivary glands and thyroid are collectively known as head and neck cancer (see Figure 3). Most begin in the squamous cells that line the moist tissues in the nose, mouth and throat; others form in the thyroid and salivary glands.
Because the areas affected by head and neck cancer treatment control vital functions, including breathing, swallowing, chewing and speaking, treating head and neck cancer involves more than removing a tumor and killing cancer cells. It also includes repairing the body so that patients can still function as normally as possible.
Treatment options for head and neck cancer include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy, or a combination.
Your doctor may use biomarker or genetic testing to determine which treatment option is best for you. If you test positive for the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), you may be a candidate for an EGFR inhibitor, which can help slow or stop cancer growth. It is typically used, with or without chemotherapy, after surgery for advanced stage head and neck cancers. However, not all tumors will test positive for a biomarker.
Immune checkpoint inhibitors were the first type of immunotherapy approved to treat head and neck cancer in 2016 (see Exploring Immunotherapy). They are approved for recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma that progressed during or after chemotherapy that contained a platinum drug.
Immunotherapy offers people with head and neck cancer a potential alternative that is less invasive than some surgeries, bringing new hope to people with cancers in the head and neck region.
Illustration: Figure 3 Anatomy of the Head and Neck (filename: Realizing Fig 3)