Dharamshila Cancer Hospital in India Pioneers in Performing Challenging Head and Neck Cancer Surgery

April 08, 2011 -- Department of Surgical Oncology at Dharamshila Hospital Research Centre has achieved another pioneering step by performing challenging Head and Neck Cancer Surgeries. These are not being performed by any other cancer centre in North India with such high success rate. The main objective of these surgeries is to restore normal facial appearance, chewing, swallowing and speech, ensuring a cancer free good quality of life. Why Head And Neck Cancer Surgeries Are Challenging? Head and neck Cancer Surgeries require complex infrastructure with a dedicated team of highly skilled and experienced Anaesthesiologists, Critical Care Specialists, Head and Neck Surgical Oncologists, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, Dental and Faciomaxillary Surgeons, Skilled Oncology Nurses, Physiotherapists, Speech Therapists and Counsellors. Till recent past most of these patients were considered inoperable. Even now most of these procedures are not being performed anywhere in North India, due to lack of desired infrastructure. Types of Challenging Head and Neck Cancer Surgeries

• Conservative Resections for oral cavity (mouth) Cancer.

• Composite Resections

• Maxillectomy

• Skull Base & Craniofacial Surgeries

• Mandible Arch and Floor of the Mouth Resections

• Free Flap Reconstructions

• Carotid Body Tumour Surgeries

• Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumour Resection

• Parapharyngeal Tumour Resection

• CO2 Laser surgeries for organ and function preservation

• Total Laryngectomies with Voice Rehabilitation Quality of Cancer Surgery

The trained and skilled Head and Neck Surgical Oncologist has the major role of carefully selecting the operable cases, performing a complete surgery by removing the cancerous body part which has clear margins and removing all the lymph nodes. During surgery dissected specimen is sent for a frozen section to the Oncopathologist for immediate report on the margins. If the margins of the dissected body part are not free from cancer, further dissection is carried out to achieve clear margins to prevent recurrences. The quality of the surgery determines the postoperative quality of the life of the patient. Reconstructive Surgery After the removal of the cancerous tissues, a large gap appears, which has to be filled/reconstructed by the Plastic Surgeon so that patient has near normal appearance and other oral cavity functions are restored. Recovery and Rehabilitation Post operative recovery with normal/close to normal appearance of the patient, restoration of eating, swallowing and voice require a dedicated team of Critical Care Specialists, Skilled Oncology Nurses, Dieticians, Physiotherapists, Prosthodontics And Speech Therapists, who work together to ensure that patient leads a normal life. Radiation And Chemotherapy Depending on the histopathology report of the dissected cancer and the lymph nodes, the need for postoperative Radiation and chemotherapy is evaluated. If required, the same is started to ensure complete treatment and prevention of recurrences.