About the Head and Neck Cancer Program

Fox Chase is home to some of the nation’s top head and neck oncology specialists and support staff–a multidisciplinary team of professionals who work together to diagnose and treat head and neck abnormalities and cancer. This team includes physicians and oncology-certified nurses with specialty experience in head and neck cancer, and meets regularly for tumor boards where patient cases and potential treatment options are reviewed.

Head and neck cancer patients at Fox Chase benefit from the Center’s robust research program, with cutting-edge clinical trials offered in surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Fox Chase physicians and researchers are influential members of the National Cancer Institute’s NRG Oncology. The Center offers a number of clinical trials and novel treatments that patients with head and neck cancer may not otherwise have access to elsewhere.

Conditions treated by head and neck specialists at Fox Chase include (but are not limited to):

• Head and neck cancer
  • Cancers of the oral cavity (mouth)
  • Cancers of the pharynx (cancer of the tonsil, base of tongue or hypopharynx throat)
  • Cancers of the larynx (voicebox and vocal cords)
  • Cancers of the nose, paranasal sinuses or nasopharynx
  • Dysplasia (or precancerous conditions of the mouth)
• Thyroid cancer and parathyroid conditions
  • Goiters
  • Hashimotos
  • Thyroid cancer
  • Thyroid nodules and parathyroid tumors
  • Hürthle cell carcinoma
  • Disorders of the thyroid or parathyroid glands
  • Papillary and follicular thyroid carcinoma
  • Medullary thyroid carcinoma
  • Anaplastic carcinoma
• Skin cancer
  • Advanced squamous or basal cell carcinoma of the head and neck
  • Cancer of the lip
  • Melanoma of the head and neck
  • Merkel cell carcinoma of the head and neck
• Tumors or masses of the saliva producing glands
  • Parotid tumors or masses
  • Submandibular or minor salivary gland tumors or cancers
• Sarcoma of the head and neck
  • Osteosarcoma
  • Soft tissue sarcoma
• Additional head and neck cancers
  • Cancer in the lymph nodes of the neck
  • Ear and temporal bone tumors or cancers
  • Paragangliomas or glomus tumors
  • Osteoradionecrosis or wounds after prior treatment with radiotherapy or Mohs surgery

Our Treatment Approach

Fox Chase offers a wide range of treatment options for individuals with head and neck cancer, including a number of clinical trials not found at most hospitals. Our multidisciplinary care for head and neck cancer is provided through our clinical departments:

• Clinical Genetics – The risk assessment program provides genetic testing, counseling and cancer-risk reduction services for individuals and their family members who are at risk for head and neck cancer.
• Diagnostic Imaging – The diagnostic imaging team includes board-certified radiologists, nurses and technologists who expertly and compassionately guide patients through the entire imaging process.
• Hematology/Oncology – Medical oncologists at Fox Chase specialize in systemic therapies that are both currently available and also under investigation through clinical trials.
• Medicine – Fox Chase recognizes the importance of treating all the medical problems our patients face, in addition to cancer. Our department of medicine includes some of the best physicians in the country specializing in endocrinology, dermatology, gastroenterology, internal medicine, physical medicine, psychiatry and pulmonary medicine.
• Pathology – The philosophy of the department of pathology is to provide high quality diagnostic service to foster the clinical and research missions of Fox Chase Cancer Center.
• Radiation Oncology – Radiation therapists and physicists use innovative methods to provide tailored radiation therapy.
• Surgical Oncology – Head and neck surgeons are part of the Temple Head and Neck Institute and are highly skilled in the latest surgical approaches for the treatment of head and neck cancer. Our plastic and reconstructive surgeons are board-certified in plastic surgery and specialize in restoring appearance and function for patients with head and neck cancer.

Additional aspects of our program to provide complete care for head and neck cancer patients include:

• Physical medicine and rehabilitation
• Speech pathology program
• Head and neck cancer nurse navigators
• Survivor support group
• Pain and palliative care program

See a listing of all our support services.