Head & neck cancer symptoms & treatment
Find a cancer specialistWhen you’re facing a head and neck cancer diagnosis, you want to know that you’ve got the right team on your side. When you choose Aurora Health Care, you can trust that you’ll be getting advanced, compassionate care.
Types of head & neck cancers
- Adenocarcinoma
- Cervical esophageal cancer
- Floor of the mouth cancer
- Head & neck melanoma
- Hypopharyngeal cancer
- Laryngeal cancer
- Metastatic squamous neck cancer
- Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC)
- Oral cavity cancer
- Oropharyngeal (tonsil, HPV) Cancer
- Rhabdomyosarcoma
- Salivary gland cancer
- Sinus cancer
- Thyroid cancer
- Tongue cancer
Why choose Aurora Health Care?
Because they can affect the way we breathe, speak, swallow, and look, cancers of the head and neck require exceptionally sensitive treatment. Our multidisciplinary team addresses the many aspects of head and neck cancer in a coordinated way. We care for the whole patient – not just your cancer.
Meet our team
Head & neck surgery
Name | Location |
|---|---|
Aurora Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Milwaukee | |
Aurora Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Milwaukee | |
Michelle A. Krueger, NP | Aurora Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Milwaukee |
Medical oncology
Name | Location |
|---|---|
Laura McGartland, MD | Aurora Cancer Care, Milwaukee |
Vince Lombardi Cancer Clinic, Germantown |
Radiation oncology
Name | Location |
|---|---|
Radiation Oncology Associates, Ltd. Milwaukee | |
Radiation Oncology Associates, Ltd. Milwaukee | |
Radiation Oncology Associates, Ltd. Milwaukee | |
Carol Zembinski, PA |
Speech therapy
Name | Location |
|---|---|
Tanya Zinski-Loomer, SLP | Aurora Physical Therapy/Speech Therapy, Milwaukee |
Aurora Physical Therapy/Speech Therapy, Milwaukee |
Cancer Nurse Navigator
Valerie Werner, RN, BSN, OCN
Dietician
Sara Shaffer, RD
Symptoms of head & neck cancers
Keep an eye out for these symptoms, and see a doctor if they develop:
- A sore in your mouth that keeps bleeding
- A lump in your neck
- Frequent nose bleeds
- Constant congestion, but no medicine helps
- Painful chewing or swallowing
- Raspy voice
- Loose teeth/dentures that no longer fit
- Constant pain in your neck, ears or throat
Treatment options for head & neck cancers
Because each tumor is different, we offer a variety of treatment options, including:
- Chemotherapy
- Conformal radiotherapy/Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)
- Stereotactic radiology/CyberKnife®
- Microvascular reconstruction
- Minimally-invasive laser surgery
- Targeted EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor)
- Trans-oral robotic surgery
Cancer resources and references
Taking an active role in your health care and treatment can have a positive effect on your recovery. But there's so much cancer information available that it can be hard to navigate through it all. That's where the Vince Lombardi Cancer hotline can help. Talk to a cancer information specialist by calling the hotline at 800-252-2990 or 414-649-7200.
Meet another member of your cancer care team: your cancer nurse navigator. Navigators are certified nursing professionals who can guide you and your family through the process of cancer treatment.
Get the latest updates on cancer care when you read the Aurora Connection newsletter.
Current clinical trials
Radiation Therapy with or without Cisplatin in treating patients with Stage III-IVA Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck who have undergone surgery.
Read more about Radiation Therapy
De-Intensified Radiation Therapy with Chemotherapy (Cisplatin) or Immunotherapy (Nivolumab) for Non-Smoking, Early-Stage, P16-Positive, Oropharyngeal Cancer
Read more about De-Intensified Radiation Therapy
Locally advanced/intermediate-risk HPV+, Oropharyngeal cancer, Maintenance Nivolumab versus Observation after completing standard treatment
Read more about this clinical trial
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