Oral Cancer: SIgns, Symptoms & Treatment in IL

Oral/oropharyngeal cancer is one of the more common cancers worldwide. Early diagnosis is very important as cancer that is diagnosed and treated at an early stage tends to have a more favorable outcome and a higher likelihood of being cured. A yearly checkup with your dentist is the best method of identifying an early oral cancer. Treatment can compromise one of multiple of the following modalities – surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy. With regards to oral cancer, these cancers tend to be best managed with surgery first and subsequently with radiation and or chemoradiation depending on the pathological findings of the cancer.

Oral Cancer Treatments

As part of their treatment planning all patients are presented at our multidisciplinary tumor board. Tumor board consists of head and neck surgical oncologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists, and pathologists allowing for a comprehensive treatment plan.

An integral part of the treatment of oral cancer with surgery is the reconstruction. Our Oral Cancer Institute (OCI) surgeons have undergone extensive training in the removal and reconstruction of head and neck cancer. With both medical and dental degrees, our OCI head and neck cancer team is well versed in the maxillofacial reconstruction of complex cancer patients. They also integrate the newest techniques such as sentinel lymph node biopsy to treat your cancer with the most update methods. Our cancer team has a strong dedication to helping patients maintain the best possible quality of life during and after treatment. Please contact us to make an appointment for a consultation with one of our OCI providers.