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Common Methods of Treatment for Head and Neck Cancers

(from Manual of Clinical Oncology)

Early lesions are commonly T1 and T2 with negative nodes; advanced lesions are T3 and T4, or any tumor with positive regional lymph nodes.

KEY
R = radiation therapy
S = Surgery
C = Chemotherapy
/ = a choice of treatments (preferred modality is first)
( ) = a lesser therapeutic alternative

Primary Early Advanced
Lip R/S S/R
     
Oral Cavity    
Oral tongue S/R S+R
Floor of mouth S/R S+R
Gingiva S S+R
Hard Palate S S+R
Buccal mucosa S/R S+R
Retromolar trigone S S+R
     
Oropharynx    
Soft palate R R/chmo+S
Tonsillar fossa S/R S+R
Anterior tonsillar pillar S/R S+R
Pharyngeal tongue S/R R/chmo+S
Pharyngeal wall R S+R
     
Hypopharynx    
Pyriform sinus S/R/C R or S/R/C
Posterior pharynx R/C R/S/C
     
Larynx    
Glottic (vocal cord) R/(S) S+R/C
Supraglottic R/(S) S+R/C
Subglottic S/R S+R/C
     
Nasopharynx R/C R/C
     
Paranasal sinuses    
Nasal cavity S/R/C S+R
Nasal vestibule R/(S)/C R
Ethmoid sinus S+R/C S+R
Frontal and sphenoid
sinuses
R/S/C R
Maxillary antrum S/R/C S+R±C
     
Salivary glands    
Parotid gland S±R S±R
Submandibular gland S, S+R S+R
     
Thyroid gland S S+R (ablation)

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