Margaret Pervis of Derby, with her daughter Journey, is screened for head and neck cancer by Virginia Lee, PA, at a free public screening at the New Haven Hall of Records, co-sponsored by Yale-New Haven Hospital and the city of New Haven.
“We always urge people who may have tell-tale symptoms to get checked. Although the number of people who develop head and neck cancers is not huge, these diseases are often devastating because they affect one’s ability to smile, speak and eat. Speech makes us unique as humans, and our faces are the signature of our individuality. A preventive screening or annual check-up by a specially trained ear, nose and throat (ENT) physician is the best prevention.”
For a referral to one of our cancer experts
Physician Referral Online
or talk with a referral coordinator toll free at:
1 (888) 700-6543
The Head and Neck Cancers Program includes an experienced, multidisciplinary team that offers broad-based specialized care in early detection, treatment and prevention of various head and neck diseases, including those of the lip, mouth, nasal cavity, sinuses, larynx, pharynx, ear and skull base. In addition to surgeons, nurses and clinicians, the team includes skilled rehabilitation specialists in the areas of speech, swallowing and hearing restoration.
Head and neck cancers are frequently aggressive and often spread to the lymph nodes of the neck. Patients often develop a second primary tumor. If detected early, head and neck cancer is highly curable, usually with some form of surgery, although chemotherapy and radiation therapy may also play an important role. An exciting new surgical advance is the use of laser surgery to remove certain throat cancers, using an endoscopic probe in the mouth. This technique allows surgeons to remove tumors without an open incision in the neck.
Breakthroughs in reconstructive surgery are among the biggest success stories for head and neck cancer patients. Reconstructive surgery has improved dramatically, yielding previously unattainable cosmetic and functional outcomes.
