Head and Neck cancers represent a group of cancers accounting for approximately 5% of cancer in adults. Tobacco use is the greatest risk factor, and the use of alcohol has been associated with additive risk. If diagnosed early, before spread, many of these cancers may be curable.

Treatment of Head and Neck cancers consists of surgery, radiation and occasionally chemotherapy. Drugs such as Cisplatin, methotrexate and 5-FU have been used to treat advanced disease and to add to the effect of curative radiation treatments.

Head and Neck cancers are not currently treated with transplantation at Hackensack University Medical Center. However, the physicians at the Northern New Jersey Cancer Center are experienced in the diagnosis and treatment of this disease. Active research studies on these cancers:BR>

For newly diagnosed patients without evidence of tumor spread

1. Standard radiotherapy versus radiotherapy plus capsulation and 5-FU
2. Induction chemotherapy plus radiation versus concomitant chemotherapy plus radiation versus radiation alone in laryngeal cancer
3. Randomized trial of surgery followed by radiation versus radiation plus chemotherapy

For patients with advanced disease (tumor that has spread)

1. Randomized trial of taxol plus cisplatin versus cipslatin plus 5-FU
2. Taxol in advanced or metastatic salivary gland cancer
3. 96 hour Taxol in advanced disease

For more information on these protocols call (201) 996-5900.