Area of care 01
सिर और गले का कैंसर
01Overview
- Oral cavity
- Tongue
- Larynx (voice box)
- Other head and neck cancers
Head and neck cancers start in places such as the mouth, tongue, voice box (larynx) and nearby parts of the throat and face. These parts help us eat, speak and breathe. So care needs to be planned with great care.
Tobacco in any form is a major cause of mouth cancer. This includes smoking, chewing tobacco, gutka and paan with tobacco. Many mouth and throat cancers are treated with surgery, radiotherapy (treatment with high-energy rays) and sometimes chemotherapy (cancer medicines). The mix is decided case by case.
02Warning signs
Head & neck cancer:
when to see a doctor.
These can also have other causes, but they are worth showing to a doctor.
Heavy bleeding, trouble breathing, chest pain or fainting: go to the nearest emergency department now.
- A mouth ulcer or sore that does not heal in about three weeks
- A white or red patch inside the mouth that stays
- A lump or thickening in the mouth, tongue or neck
- Pain or trouble in chewing, swallowing or opening the mouth
- A hoarse voice or change in voice that lasts more than a few weeks
- Bleeding from the mouth, or a loose tooth, with no clear reason
03Where surgery fits
Head & neck cancer in Bikaner:
surgery in plain words.
- 01
Removing the growth
Surgery removes the tumour with a margin of healthy tissue around it. The removed tissue is then checked under the microscope.
- 02
Neck lymph nodes
Lymph nodes are small glands that filter body fluid. Where needed, nodes in the neck are removed too, because cancer cells can sometimes travel there.
- 03
Voice box (larynx) surgery
Surgery may remove a part or the whole of the voice box. This depends on how much of it is involved. Speech and swallowing are discussed with the family beforehand.
- 04
Rebuilding and recovery
After the growth is removed, the area may need to be repaired. The aim is to make eating and speaking as comfortable as possible. Speech and swallowing therapy often help recovery.
- 05
Along with other treatment
Radiotherapy or chemotherapy may be advised before or after surgery, or instead of it. This depends on the case.
04How the plan is made
Decided together,
step by step.
- 01
Your doctor listens to your history and examines the mouth, throat and neck. Sometimes a thin camera (endoscopy) is used.
- 02
Your doctor studies your reports and scans and advises any missing tests.
- 03
The case is discussed with other specialists where needed. These may be doctors for scans, tissue tests, cancer medicines and radiotherapy. This is called a multidisciplinary discussion.
- 04
The plan is explained to you and your family in plain words, with all the options. You decide together with the doctor.
05What to bring
Your papers
save time.
- Dental records or X-rays, if available
- Full checklist for your first visit
06Questions
Asked about
head & neck cancer.
Is a biopsy needed for a mouth ulcer?
If an ulcer or patch does not heal, a biopsy is usually the only sure way to know what it is. It is a small procedure. A pathologist (a doctor who studies tissue) checks the sample.
Will I be able to speak and eat after treatment?
This depends on where the cancer is and how much needs to be treated. The likely effects are explained before any decision. Therapy and rehabilitation are planned along with treatment.
Should I stop tobacco?
Yes. Stopping tobacco and gutka is advised for everyone, at any stage. Ask your doctor about help to quit.
Next step
Talk it through
in person.
Bring your reports and a family member. You will leave knowing what is known so far, and what comes next.