Head and neck cancer

Head and neck cancers include cancers of the mouth (tongue, palate, gums and lips), throat (pharynx), voice box (larynx), nose and sinuses, salivary glands, middle ear and thyroid.

Approximately 12,200 people are diagnosed with head and neck cancer in the UK each year.  Overall head and neck cancer is eighth most common cancer. It’s more common in men; in the UK it is the fourth most common cancer in men and thirteenth most common in women.

To find out more about head and neck cancer, visit https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/head-and-neck-cancer.

What we offer

If you are referred to hospital with a suspected head and neck cancer, any diagnostic tests that are needed are usually carried out at your local hospital e.g. scans or biopsies.

If a cancer is diagnosed, your results are discussed in a meeting called a multi-disciplinary team meeting (MDT). At the MDT, there are many specialists such as consultants, radiographers, oncologists, histopathologists as well as other professionals including specialist nurses, speech therapists and dietitians. Together the MDT members decide on the best course of treatment for you.

Broomfield Hospital is the specialist surgical centre for Mid Essex, most surgery is carried out in Broomfield, however some may be done in your local hospital.

If it’s decided radiotherapy or chemotherapy is to be given, you will be treated at the specialist oncology centres in either Southend or Colchester Hospitals.

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Adult acute speech and language therapy

We treat all patients the same no matter what their diagnosis - we assess their oromotor function, swallow efficiency and safety, articulation and language (both receptive and expressive) and then treat what we have assessed to be the problem. This may involve additional testing or instrumental assessments such as videofluoroscopy or FEES (Fibreoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallow) or EELs (Endoscopic Examination of Larynx).

Therapy may involve a variety of different techniques dependent on the presenting problem and the aim of therapy may vary between complete rehabilitation of function or maximisation of function following surgery or oncological treatments.

We work very closely with our dietetic team, nursing colleagues and Macmillan psychological support team.

We have twice weekly Allied Health Professional (AHP) clinics to reduce appointments for patients and to enable a joined up approach to both prehabilitation and post-treatment rehabilitation and support.

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Meet the team

Broomfield

  • 1 head and neck/ear nose and throat consultant
  • 1 oral maxillofacial consultant
  • 2 plastic surgeons
  • 1 histopathologist
  • 1 radiographer
  • 2 clinical nurse specialists
  • 3 dietitian speech therapists.

Basildon

  • 2 head and neck/ear nose and throat consultants                           
  • general histopathologists and radiographers
  • 2 part-time clinical nurse specialists
  • 2 speech therapists
  • 1 dietitian.

Southend

  • 1 head and neck/ ear nose and throat consultant
  • 1 oral maxillofacial consultant
  • 1 histopathologist
  • 2 oncologists
  • 2 clinical nurse specialists 
  • 1 speech therapist
  • 1 dietitian.

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Useful links

Cancer Laryngectomee Trust – htpps://www.cancerlt.org

Mouth cancer Foundation – htpps://www.mouthcancerfoundation.org

Oracle Cancer Trust – https://www.oraclecancertrust.org

British Thyroid Foundation – https://www.btf-thyroid.org

Butterfly Thyroid Cancer Trust – https://www.butterfly.org.uk

Changing faces – htpps://www.changingfaces.org.uk

Saving faces – htpps://www.savingfaces.co.uk

Salivary gland cancer UK — https://www.salivaryglandcancer.uk 

Mouth Cancer Foundation Support Group — https://www.facebook.com/groups/644315286678819. You can access weekly Zoom meetings every Monday between 7pm and 9pm by emailing info@mouthcancerfoundation.org. 

 

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