Treatment of malignancies of the head and neck requires the expertise of many disciplines. Careful coordination of the services of all members of the multidisciplinary team is essential.

Physicians, nursing staff, speech therapists, prosthodontists, dieticians, and social workers all participate in treatment planning to assure a comprehensive level of specialty care and the greatest possibility of a positive outcome. Follow-up of patients is critical since delays in initiating necessary postoperative therapy or detecting recurrences can be very detrimental. Patients and their families often need considerable support and care during and after treatment, particularly if major surgical resection and reconstructions have been performed.

Surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy continue to be the primary treatment modalities for head and neck cancers, and the Head and Neck Oncology Program at UCI Medical Center is at the forefront in the development of new refinements to these techniques and the integration of new chemotherapeutic agents which are improving patient survival and quality of life. The Program also offers state-of-the-art reconstructive surgery. Areas of particular expertise include microvascular surgery, prosthetic implants and osseointegrated dental implants.
 

Successful management of head and neck cancer patients requires a significant commitment of expertise from multiple disciplines -- a team approach. A long-term commitment to the patient is required for initial treatment, the prolonged follow-up period required to rehabilitate speech and swallowing function and to detect recurrences or second primary tumors at the earliest possible stage. These tumors exact a significant physical as well as psychological toll on patients and families.
 

The Head and Neck Oncology Program at UCI Medical Center is dedicated to meeting these challenges and finding the best curative and palliative solutions for the individual patient. Our multidisciplinary team of top professionals has advanced training in the latest surgical, radiological, and chemotherapeutic approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of head and neck cancer. The team includes board certified specialists in otolaryngology, plastic and reconstructive surgery, radiation oncology, medical oncology, radiology, pathology, anesthesia and maxillofacial prosthodontics. Speech pathologists, dieticians, case managers, and social workers provide vital support to the team. This team strives to offer the highest quality, individualized and compassionate care available to the patient.
 

UCI Medical Center's weekly multidisciplinary tumor board invites local physicians to present patients with head and neck cancers. At the tumor board conference each patient's case is thoroughly reviewed and discussed by team members. Treatment options, reconstructive plans and prognosis are then discussed with the consulting physician. The multidisciplinary tumor board's team consists of head and neck surgeons, reconstructive surgeons, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, a dentist and maxillofacial prosthodontist, radiologists, pathologists, speech pathologists and anesthesia pain specialists.

This new center, located on the grounds of the UCI Medical Center, provides a centralized, ultra-modern facility dedicated to the treatment of cancer. As a part of the only academic hospital in Orange County, treatment at the Chao Family Clinical Cancer Research Center features access to a broad spectrum of clinical and research tools. More information is available at the following URL:
 

To Make an Appointment with our head and neck cancer specialists, Please Call 714-456-7017 or click here to request an appointment via the web.