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Head and neck treatment options |
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Treatment options for head and neck cancer include surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy, either alone or combined. Tumor size, and whether cancer cells have spread, determine what treatments are needed, although patients with early-form disease are often successfully treated with surgery or radiation alone. Saint Raphael's is one of the few Connecticut hospitals to offer head and neck cancer patients two of the most powerful forms of radiation, intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and stereotactic radiosurgery. Both utilize a 3-D, computerized system that allows doctors to precisely attack all parts of irregularly shaped tumors from multiple angles, without harming nearby healthy tissue. Patient benefits include higher, more direct radiation doses and fewer side effects. Each outpatient radiation session takes about 15 minutes. Traditional treatment options are supplemented by an array of integrative medicine therapies, such as yoga, meditation, guided imagery, clinical holistic nutrition and energy healing. The McGivney Center also offers cancer patients and their families various support groups. Our Looking Forward Specialty Shop offers products and services to help cancer patients adjust to the hair loss and skin changes that may occur during treatment and to offer support.
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