The best treatment for cancers of the oral cavity and oropharynx depends on several factors, including your age, overall health, and the extent of the disease. Your healthcare provider will also consider your tolerance for certain treatments, expectations for recovery and personal goals. The treatment plan will also depend on the size and stage of the tumor and HPV status.
At Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center, experts use a collaborative approach to develop personalized treatment plans. These plans often incorporate advanced surgical and reconstructive techniques and innovative methods. Common treatments include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and surgery, often used in combination. For instance, chemotherapy may be given alongside radiation to enhance effectiveness, and radiation may follow surgery. The goal is to eliminate cancer cells while preserving your ability to speak and swallow as normally as possible.
Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and stop them from spreading. It's focused only on the area where the cancer is found. Most often, radiation comes from an external machine (external beam radiation), but it can also come from radioactive seeds or wires placed near the cancer (brachytherapy). Radiation is commonly used after surgery, but it can be used alone for oropharyngeal cancer or combined with chemotherapy to enhance effectiveness. However, combining these treatments can increase side effects. For advanced cancer, radiation can help relieve symptoms like pain. Possible side effects include dry mouth, tooth decay, and jawbone damage.
Before starting radiation treatment, a dental evaluation is necessary. Damaged or infected teeth may need to be removed to prevent complications like infections or bone death in the jaw during radiation. These extractions can be performed by a head and neck surgeon or an oral surgeon. If part of the jawbone is removed and reconstructed using bone from another body part, dental implants may be placed. These implants can support prosthetic teeth and can be installed during the jaw reconstruction or later.
Chemotherapy involves medications that travel through the body to kill cancer cells. These drugs can prevent cancer cells from replicating. Chemotherapy might be used with surgery and radiation or on its own when surgery isn't possible, such as with large tumors. It can treat cancer that has spread, shrink tumors before surgery, or kill remaining cancer cells after surgery.
Learn more about chemotherapy for oral cancer.
Targeted therapy uses drugs or other substances to identify and attack specific cancer cells without harming healthy cells. These treatments often cause fewer side effects than chemotherapy. Targeted therapies use lab-made monoclonal antibodies, which are proteins from the immune system. They work by blocking proteins that cancer cells need to grow and spread.
Immunotherapy, also known as biological therapy, helps your immune system fight cancer. Cancer cells sometimes produce proteins that prevent the immune system from attacking them. Immunotherapy disrupts this process. It's typically used for oral or oropharyngeal cancers that have returned or spread.
Researchers at Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center are constantly looking for more efficient and innovative ways to treat oral and oropharyngeal cancer through clinical trials. Participating in a clinical trial can give you access to the best current treatments and potentially new, more effective ones. Discuss with your healthcare provider if joining a clinical trial is an option for you.
Learn more about our clinical trials.
Side effects of oral and oropharyngeal cancer treatments vary depending on the type and location of treatment. They can be temporary or permanent.
Common side effects include:
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