cancer may be curable (discussed later in the section) ( see also "Cancer of an Unknown Primary Site" ).
The most common locations for head and neck cancers most half of all cases—are the mouth and throat (oral
cavity and oropharynx). About a third are in the larynx.
These cancers and their treatment can have serious results. Because they tend to involve the upper digestive tract and the upper respiratory tract, these tumors can interfere with eating and breathing. Laryngeal cancer directly affects speech. Several sensory functions are located here—vision, hearing smell and taste—and the loss or malfunction of any of them is significant.
Successful treatment must, therefore, not only include an attempt to eradicate all the cancer but also take into account:
• The need for adequate function—swallowing, eating, speech—after treatment.
• A satisfactory cosmetic result. It is as important to consider reconstruction, rehabilitation and prostheses as it
is to achieve an adequate surgical removal.
Many health care workers are essential to success. In addition to the head and neck (or ear, nose and throat) surgeon, the treatment team may include the primary physician, radiation and medical oncologists, dentists, rehabilitation specialists, plastic surgeons, dieticians, pathologists, radiologists, oncology nurses and social workers. The patient and his or her family, friends and employer are all involved in the recovery process.
