Head and Neck Cancer: A Multidisciplinary Approach

The focus of this text is the two-part approach that any physician treating head and neck cancer patients must follow: maximize the chance for a cure while maintaining a strong emphasis on quality of life. Coverage begins with reviews of the molecular biology and other basic science aspects of these cancers. The second section presents general principles of patient management, including physical examination, diagnostic imaging, head and neck pathology, dental oncology and maxillofacial prosthetics, nutritional management of the patient with head and neck cancer, head and neck oncologic nursing, reconstructive surgery, quality of life and psychiatric issues, and rehabilitation of speech, voice, and swallowing functions after cancer therapy. The third and major section offers detailed guidelines for surgical and non-surgical management of cancers at specific anatomic sites. The concluding section explores future directions in head and neck oncology, including radiation therapy, chemotherapy, gene and biological therapy, ethical considerations, outcomes research, and cost analysis. More than 1,600 illustrations complement the text. The Second Edition integrates a focus on technique into each site-specific chapter.