Head and neck cancer

About

Our head and neck cancer service manages the full spectrum of malignant and benign head and neck tumours and associated conditions. As a regional secondary and tertiary care centre, the unit delivers diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitation services.

The tumours we treat include mouth and throat cancers, and salivary gland, skull base, larynx, and skin cancers. We also treat swallowing and voice conditions, salivary gland stones/calculi, and other benign head and neck conditions.

Cancer treatment is delivered by a thoughtful multidisciplinary team including dedicated head and neck oncological surgeons with national and international training and expertise in all areas of practice, site-specialised reconstructive microsurgeons performing high volumes of bone and soft tissue free flaps for the head, neck and chest, and clinical oncologists delivering intensity modulated radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and the latest immunological therapy.

The clinicians work closely with highly specialised allied health services, including dental oncology, specialist nursing, speech language therapy, dietetics, restorative dentistry, maxillofacial prosthetics, highly specialised head and neck radiology and histopathology. The team works closely with otology, rhinology, oculoplastic surgery, neurosurgery, general surgery, interventional radiology and neuroradiology.

We innovate and lead in the latest techniques such as transoral robotic surgery (TORS) for cancers of the base of tongue and tonsils, voice rehabilitation, free tissue transfer, oral mandibulofacial reconstruction, base of skull approaches, and virtual surgical planning. We contribute to national research studies in surgical technology, immunotherapy, intensity modulated radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Imperial College Healthcare was the first NHS Trust to use TORS in benign conditions, later using TORS in cancer surgery as well.

Imperial College Healthcare has a highly specialised head and neck surgical ward located at Charing Cross Hospital, Fulham.

As regionalised head and neck cancer unit, supra-regional skull base surgical centre, and a national centre for adult airway reconstruction, patients are referred to us from around London, across the UK and abroad.

Conditions and treatments

• Rapid diagnosis and treatment

• Head and neck cancers (larynx, mandible, maxilla, mouth, neck, nose, oropharynx, parotid, pharynx, salivary glands, sinus, skin, skull base, tongue)

• Benign tumours of the head and neck

• Lymph node biopsy, tumour biopsy

Additional information

Fellowships and elective placements

The departments of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and Clinical Oncology offer advanced clinical and research fellowships in head and neck cancer treatment and rehabilitation.

The fellowship in head and neck surgical oncology and diagnostics is approved by the Royal College of Surgeons of England. The post is advertised annually through NHS Jobs online.

Our departments and service accept elective placements. Please contact the medical electives department at imperial.electives@nhs.net for more information.

Further online resources

• British Association of Head and Neck Oncologists 
• British Association of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (ENTUK) 
• Cancer Research UK - Head and neck cancers  
• Changing Faces  
• Let’s Face It support network  
• Macmillan – Head and neck cancers  
• Mouth Cancer Foundation  
• National Association of Laryngectomee Clubs 
• NHS Choices 
• Throat Cancer Foundation