What is Head and Neck Cancer Survival Rate?

Posted by Headandneck on September 20th, 2019

In dealing with cancers of the throat, nose, larynx, mouth, and sinuses, doctors and oncologists are expected to follow head and neck cancer treatment guidelines. This way, they can determine the right treatment plan and ensure its efficacy. The right treatment can also improve the patient’s survival rate, which is typically at least five years. However, keep in mind that this survival rate will vary and depend on different factors. Remember that the statistics are an estimate, which is taken from annual data based on the amount of people with those forms of cancers. Moreover, experts also determine survival statistics every half a decade, so an estimate may not show results of treatment or better diagnosis that may have been available for less than five years.

Head and neck cancer treatment guidelines enable oncologists and the team of other medical professionals to come up with the best treatment plan that can guarantee survival. Chemotherapy or radiation therapy is provided by the radiation oncologist to cease the growth of cancer cells, reduce the size of the tumour, and prevent cancer from recurring. About 47 percent of patients who received chemotherapy are still alive five years after their treatment.

Despite its efficacy, radiation therapy tends to affect healthy cells, too. In that case, some patients may seek other treatments, like immunotherapy and targeted therapies, which are among the newest in head and neck cancer treatment. Targeted therapy targets cancer specific proteins as it limits damaging the healthy cells. However, it works only if the tumour has the essential target proteins. Immunotherapy aims to boost the natural defences of the body to fight cancer cells. It may also affect healthy cells, but the side-effects are manageable.

There are 197,649 cases of new head and neck cancers in India itself, with cancers affecting the lip and oral cavity being the second most frequent type in the country. Following the head and neck cancer treatment guidelines, treatment plans will differ from one patient to another. A unique treatment plan for a particular patient will depend on the cancer stage, location of the tumour, and the age and overall health condition of the person.

About the Author:

Head and Neck Cancer is an online hub that provides useful and important information about advanced stages of head and neckcancer to patients. We offer free, credible, and comprehensive information on Head and Neck Cancer prevention and treatment. Head and Neck Cancer believes in providing exact, useful information about the stages of Head and Neck Cancer along with strategies for prevention and improvement.

Most of the head and neck cancers are squamous cell carcinomas, which arise from flat squamous cells. These squamous cells form a thin layer of tissue on the surface of the structures in the head and neck. From this website, you will learn how Head and Neck Cancer (HNC) occurs and how it can be prevented.