Keeping Your Head & Neck Healthy to Prevent Cancer

At Wellstar, every cancer patient’s care plan is tailored just for their needs. When it comes to head and neck cancers, a team of expert specialists form an interdisciplinary care team that supports the patient and their family through the whole treatment process.

“The concepts are the same, but every case is different,” said Dr. Justin Hart, a Wellstar radiation oncologist. “Every patient’s situation is unique, so we need to fully understand the location and extent of their disease and then customize their treatment plan. This is why our multidisciplinary Head and Neck STAT Clinic is so critical for these patients.  Only in a STAT Clinic can a head and neck surgeon and a radiation oncologist evaluate patients simultaneously.”

The Head and Neck Cancer Specialty Teams and Treatments (STAT) Clinic involves multiple specialists at once, giving patients and their loved ones the opportunity to get their questions answered in fewer visits. Patients and their families are involved in every decision, and their providers are right by their side. 

“We work together as an interdisciplinary care team, and the patient sees that they have multiple specialists invested in their care,” Dr. Hart said. “It shows them that their doctors are thinking of them together, even if we may be interacting with them separately after seeing them as a team in the STAT Clinic.”

The STAT Clinic also speeds up diagnosis, staging and treatment.  “We get answers faster, so we can help tailor that care plan much earlier. Then, the patient can start treatment sooner and get healthy,” said Dr. Timothy Ryan, a Wellstar Ear Nose & Throat physician. “We know that earlier treatment improves outcomes for patients.”

Head and neck cancers, like many forms of cancer, are much more treatable if caught early, so it is important patients pay attention and contact their provider right away if they experience any symptoms.

What are the symptoms?

Head and neck cancers can present in many different ways. If you experience any of these signs, be proactive and reach out to your Wellstar provider so you can address the issue and find the cause. 

In the mouth

• A white or red sore that does not heal on the gums, tongue or lining of the mouth
• Swelling in the jaw
• Unusual bleeding or pain in the mouth
• A lump or thickening
• Problems with dentures

At the back of the mouth (pharynx)

• Trouble breathing or speaking
• A lump or thickening
• Trouble chewing or swallowing food
• A feeling that something is caught in the throat
• Pain in the throat that won’t go away
• Pain or ringing in the ears or trouble hearing

In the voice box (larynx)

• Pain when swallowing
• Ear pain

In the sinuses and nasal cavity

• Blocked sinuses that don’t clear
• Sinus infections that do not respond to treatment with antibiotics
• Bleeding through the nose
• Headaches
• Pain and swelling around the eyes
• Pain in the upper teeth
• Problems with dentures

Dr. Ryan also recommends that if you’re a smoker and you have hoarseness for more than six weeks, you should see a Wellstar Ear Nose & Throat physician.

About twice as many men as women get head and neck cancers, and they are more common in people over the age of 50.

Although Wellstar’s expert providers are well-equipped to help you fight head and neck cancer, there are several steps you can take to prevent cancer from forming, including limiting exposure to the sun and cutting out tobacco and alcohol. Your Wellstar care team can work with you on a plan to keep your head and neck healthy and set achievable goals to prevent cancer. To learn more about head and neck cancer, see Wellstar’s guide to prevention, diagnosis, treatment and ongoing care. Call (770) 956-STAR for more information.

A cancer diagnosis can be unexpected and scary for both patients and their loved ones. But at Wellstar, we know the key to fighting cancer lies in a collaborative team approach.  

That’s why we’ve partnered with Northwest Georgia Oncology Centers (NGOC) to bring the highest level of expert cancer care to Georgia. Here, you will have a multidisciplinary team by your side — an entire group of experts who will take the time to get to know you and will help you face cancer with confidence. 

“We’re there for our patients, to come up with their cancer plan, to get them through that, but we also follow them, oftentimes for 5 years or 10 years, to make sure that their cancer doesn’t come back,” said Dr. Michael Andrews, chief cancer officer at Wellstar. “It can be a very rewarding and close relationship.” 

NGOC is a team of board-certified medical oncologists and hematologists passionate about fighting for each patient. They are leaders and innovators in community-based cancer care and focus on creating the best outcomes for each patient.  

And with convenient locations all throughout metro Atlanta, you can get the care you need without the added stress of travel. 

Customized, Cutting-Edge Care

Approximately 1.9 million new cancer cases will be diagnosed in the United States every year, but we know that every patient is different, from their bodies to their genetics to their lifestyles. Your care team will work with you on a personalized treatment plan tailored just for you.  

And cancer care has evolved from just the chemotherapies of years past.  Now more than ever, Georgia cancer patients can successfully be treated with the help of Wellstar’s expert multidisciplinary team of providers. 

The Wellstar cancer team is on the cutting edge of cancer treatments, including genetics-based immunotherapies and more than 20 active clinical trials. Cancer specialists are involved in the latest research, giving patients access to the newest treatment options before they are widely available. A multidisciplinary team of compassionate oncologists, radiologists, surgeons, nurse navigators and other care professionals dedicated to patient care develops customized treatment plans tailored for the best outcomes.  

Expert Care Close to You

Wellstar’s mission is to enhance the health and wellbeing of everyone we serve, and our communities deserve the best care possible, close to home.

NGOC medical oncologists manage infusion centers at:

• Wellstar Kennestone Hospital
• Wellstar Cobb Hospital
• Wellstar North Fulton Hospital
• Wellstar Douglas Hospital 
• Wellstar Paulding Hospital 
• Wellstar Cherokee Health Park 
• Jasper
• Cartersville

Call (770) 956-STAR (7827) today to setup an appointment and learn how you can partner with Wellstar and NGOC in conquering cancer. 

While Wellstar’s expert cancer specialists are well-equipped to help their patients fight cancer, they’re also dedicated to stopping cancer before it starts.

Part of preventing cancer is knowing your risk and taking action early. Wellstar’s Genetic Risk Assessment Program helps patients determine whether they may be at higher risk for some cancers.

At Wellstar, our focus is PeopleCare—personalized healthcare tailored just for you. For cancer care, that means taking a close look at what makes you unique—your distinct genetic makeup that sets you apart. Genetic counselors use a compassionate approach to guide patients and their families so they can make informed healthcare decisions.

“We are the busiest genetic counseling program in Georgia,” said Wellstar's Chief Cancer Officer, Dr. Michael Andrews. “Cancer care now is very genetically-based, and the specialists in our program can look for certain abnormalities and adapt treatments based on what they find.”

Halting Hereditary Cancers

Genetic mutations play a major role in about 5–10% of cancers. A patient with a family history of cancer who learns they have specific genetic mutations can partner with their provider to be more proactive, whether that involves screening, lifestyle changes or medical treatments. Taking a few proactive steps could prevent cancer, even if the patient’s genetics may put them at a higher risk.

Genetic testing can also benefit cancer patients and empower their whole families with important information. If a cancer patient learns they carry a mutation, it can help relatives decide if they could benefit from genetic testing. Also, people who have certain cancers and also have specific DNA sequences may benefit from targeted therapies.

Some possible signs of hereditary cancer include:

• Unusually early age of cancer onset
• Multiple primary cancers in a single patient
• Cancer in paired organs (such as in cancer in both breasts)
• Multi-generational cancers
• Rare tumors
• An unusual presentation, such as male breast cancer
• Belonging to an ethnic group known to be at high risk for hereditary cancers
• No environmental explanation for the cancer

Some gene mutations can increase your cancer risk, so if your provider finds that you are affected, they may recommend increased screenings and other precautions to monitor your health.

• TP53: This gene produces a protein that slows down tumor growth. Mutations in this gene can cause Li-Fraumeni syndrome, which puts patients at an increased risk for developing some cancers.
• BRCA1 and BRCA2: Mutations in these genes increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancer, as well as pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer and male breast cancer.
• PTEN: This gene also stops tumor growth. Mutations in this gene are associated with Cowden syndrome, a disorder that increases the risk of breast, thyroid, endometrial and other forms of cancer.

Take charge of your health—and maybe help out a family member, too—by learning more about how your genetics could affect your cancer risk. Call (470) 793-7472 to book an appointment with a Wellstar Genetic Counselor. Both in-person and virtual visits are available. Learn more at wellstar.org/cancercare.