Head and Neck Cancer

Head and Neck Cancer includes all cancers of the oral cavity, oropharynx (tonsil and base of tongue), hypopharynx (throat), larynx (voice box), nose, sinuses, ear, and skin of the Head and Neck. 

Depending on the exact site and stage, primary treatment may be either surgery or radiotherapy, or both.  Patients may also be recommended for chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy.

Workup for Head and Neck Cancer generally includes examination, including flexible laryngoscopy, biopsy, imaging, which may include CT, MRI, and PET scans, and sometimes examination under general anaesthesia.

All patients with Head and Neck Cancer are discussed at a weekly Head and Neck Multidisciplinary Meeting (MDM) which is attended by surgeons, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, and other specialists involved in Head and Neck Cancer. 

All patients are linked in with a Head and Neck Cancer Nurse specialist, who will serve as point of contact and coordinator of care. 

As part of their evaluation and rehabilitation, many patients will also meet Speech and Language Therapists, Nutritionists, Physiotherapists, and Specialized Dentists.  For patients undergoing major surgery requiring reconstruction, they will likely also meet a second reconstructive surgeon who will perform reconstruction of the surgical defect using a free flap or prosthetic during the same operation.

The South Infirmary Victoria Hospital is the second highest volume Head and Neck Cancer Centre in Ireland, treating around 25% of all cases in the country, managing 350 cases of Head and Neck Cancer in 2024, and includes a large team of specialists from all the different disciplines in involved in Head and Neck Cancer.

More information can be found about Head and Neck Cancer and the Head and Neck Cancer team on the patient information page of the Irish Head and Neck Society website