There are many ways to treat head and neck cancer. The main ones are surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and targeted therapies. If you have head and neck cancer, you might need one of these, or a combination of them.
Yarn with your doctor, nurse or Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health worker about which treatment you might have and how you might like to include any traditional healing or cultural practices during your cancer journey.
Surgery
Surgery is done to take out the cancer and stop it from spreading. Surgery involves staying in hospital and having an anaesthetic and an operation.
Depending on what type of cancer it is and where it is located, part of your treatment plan will include removing either a small or large area around the cancer.
Some people have one operation, while others might need more than one.
You will need to stay in hospital and have an anaesthetic and an operation. Sometimes you may need to have radiotherapy after surgery to reduce the size of the cancer or reduce the chance of the cancer coming back.
The doctor will talk to you beforehand about what is going to happen. It is important to also talk to your doctor about what support you and for family need during this time and any traditional medicine or cultural practices you want to include.
Undergoing surgery can affect your whole family. Yarn with your doctor, nurse, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health worker or social worker about what support you and your family need.
Read more about surgery.
Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy is also called radiation therapy. It uses X-rays to destroy cancer cells in one part of your body. Each treatment is called a “dose” or a “fraction”.
Most people who have radiotherapy for head and neck cancer have it 5 days a week (Monday to Friday) for up to 7 weeks, and each session takes a about 30 minutes. But it might be different for you. Some days may take a little longer as you need to check in with the doctor or nurse weekly.
Because the rays of the x-ray machine need to be exact and in the same spot every time so they don't damage things like your eyes and ears you will need to have a radiotherapy mask made just for you. It's made of plastic and once warmed will meld and set to the shape of your head and neck.
Your radiotherapy mask will be waiting for you every day you go to your session. The radiation technician will place it on you, and you will wear it for about 8-10 mins each time while the radiotherapy beam whizzes around you.
You may not feel anything each day, but effects such as tiredness and skin changes may build up over the weeks and it is really important to yarn to your doctor, nurse or Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health worker if you are feeling any effects.
You can only have radiotherapy in cities and some big towns – see this list. If your doctor thinks radiotherapy would help, and you don’t live near a radiotherapy site, there is help to find somewhere to stay, support to keep you connected to family and assistance to cover expenses. Having family with you during radiotherapy treatment is an important support that helps keeps you strong.
Yarn with your doctor, nurse, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Worker or social worker about your radiotherapy and what support you and your family need before, during and after treatment. Being away from Country and family can be distressing so making sure you have the right support is important.
Read more about radiotherapy.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy, or ‘chemo’, involves you taking strong drugs to kill the cancer cells, or make the cancer cells ready for the radiation to kill them. That is why radiotherapy and chemotherapy can be given together when you have a head and neck cancer.
Many people have chemo in cycles. Everyone and every chemotherapy centre are a little different. Most of the time the chemo is given during then same time as your radiation treatment. They will start at the same time. This can be given once, every three weeks or sometimes the doctor will decide that you may need one dose a week for about 6 weeks.
Most chemo comes as injections into your arm or hand that drips in over several hours. If you’re having chemo, your doctor will tell you exactly how it will work for you.
Chemo can make people feel sick for a while, but there are things they can do and take to help. Yarn with your doctor, nurse or Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health worker about what support you need and including any traditional healing or cultural practices as part of your treatment plan.
Read more about chemotherapy and side effects.
Targeted therapies
Targeted therapies are newer drugs that try to stop the cancer growing.
Targeted therapy is usually used in combination with other treatments, such as radiation therapy, chemotherapy or surgery. If your doctor thinks they might help, click here for some questions to ask.
Read more about targeted therapy.