Wake Forest Baptist Health is a leader in head and neck cancer, treating about 300 patients each year - one of the largest volumes in the Southeast. Our ENT/head and neck surgeons treat the full spectrum of head, ear, throat and neck cancers and diseases of the salivary gland and thyroid.
We are committed to using the most advanced, proven techniques and discovering new, effective ways to manage and treat these complicated cancers.
Head and neck cancer patients at Wake Forest Baptist are treated in our Comprehensive Cancer Center, one of only 51 cancer centers in the nation and the only one in western North Carolina designated as "comprehensive" by the National Cancer Institute. This special designation translates into patient advantages that make all the difference - like access to the latest cancer treatments, technology and research.
Multidisciplinary Team Approach to Head and Neck Cancers
We use a multidisciplinary treatment approach, with ENT/head and neck surgeons working together with other Wake Forest Baptist head and neck cancer specialists to create a personalized treatment plan that is right for you.
Each new patient is evaluated by the Head and Neck Cancer Tumor Board and a treatment plan is recommended.
This group is made up of specialists from head and neck cancer surgery, radiation oncology, medical oncology, pathology, endoscopic skull base surgery, speech-language pathology, voice and swallowing, neuroradiology, dentistry, nutrition and patient support.
This multidisciplinary coordination allows for enhanced patient convenience and timing of appointments, as well as closer and more effective physician planning and treatment decisions.
Head and Neck Cancer Treatment
Finding out you have head and neck cancer is difficult and overwhelming and can leave you feeling uncertain about what next steps to take. Wake Forest Baptist’s head and neck cancer team is your partner from the beginning, helping you understand your diagnosis and creating a personalized treatment plan that is right for you. Although treatment depends on the size, shape, location and growth of the tumor, treatments usually include one or a combination of the following:
