At City of Hope, we understand that throat cancer and its treatment can impact a patient’s quality of life, sometimes in debilitating ways.
Because of their location, throat cancer tumors and treatment-related side effects may impair patients’ ability to eat, swallow and breathe. Our multidisciplinary care team of throat cancer experts works with you to develop a personalized treatment plan based on your individual needs, preferences and goals, putting you at the center of your care so you can make informed decisions about the road ahead. Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA) is now City of Hope®, joining forces to expand patient access to personalized, comprehensive cancer care.
Treating throat cancer can be invasive. Surgery is often the first-line treatment for early-stage throat cancers, and it may affect your facial features, your voice and your ability to swallow. Your care team may include a reconstructive plastic surgeon who can help rebuild features and restore function. You may need microvascular reconstruction surgery, for example, and have tissue from the abdomen, forearm or thigh used to reconstruct the nose, tongue or throat. Or, if you undergo a laryngectomy to remove the larynx, or voice box, you may choose to have a tracheoesophageal puncture, or TEP. In this procedure, a surgeon places a one-way valve between the trachea and the esophagus, allowing air to reach the lungs while blocking food, saliva and liquids. The valve also produces a vibration for voicing.
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Your throat cancer care team works all under one roof. That means you have access to state-of-the-art cancer treatments and supportive care services, all in one location. Your team is led by a head and neck cancer specialist, and your treatment plan is coordinated by a care manager dedicated to orchestrating your schedule, communicating with the rest of your care team, getting your questions answered and helping you access your test results in a timely manner. Your care team may also include a medical, surgical and/or radiation oncologist, oncology nurses and a variety of supportive care providers.
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Our doctors work with supportive care providers to deliver evidence-informed services designed to address the symptoms of your disease and the side effects of treatment. That’s what supportive care is about: keeping you strong so you can better tolerate your treatments and maintain your quality of life. Our supportive care services include nutritional support to help you develop a diet plan to help stay nourished, while pain management physicians offer medication and non-medicinal approaches to help you keep your pain in check. And our spiritual support and behavioral health providers help support your mental and emotional health before, during and after your treatment.
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“I was drawn to City of Hope because of their commitment to provide personalized cancer care through a multidisciplinary team approach. My own values are completely aligned with their philosophy on patient care, to treat patients as you would want any member of your own family treated.”
Clinical trials are critical tools researchers and doctors use to determine the safety and effectiveness of new drugs and therapies. At City of Hope, we’re committed to offering our patients innovative and new cancer treatments, including access to clinical trials when appropriate. These trials may provide therapies that are not yet widely available to qualified patients who have exhausted conventional treatment options or whose cancer is advanced or difficult to treat. Our cancer doctors and researchers will work with you to determine whether you qualify for a trial and, if so, help you enroll.
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Since all my care team worked in close proximity and communicated consistently, it was really nice that I didn’t have to repeat myself or tell each one the same thing six different times. I was having difficulty with my speech, and this showed me the value of a multidisciplinary team working together."
