Treatment that Addresses Your Function and Comfort
At NewYork-Presbyterian Westchester (formerly Lawrence Hospital), our head and neck cancer specialists take a team approach to treating your cancer. Their goal is threefold: to treat your tumor, preserve your appearance and function, and minimize the effects of therapy on your quality of life. At our center, you have access to every type of treatment, including surgery, chemotherapy, targeted therapies, immunotherapy, and radiation therapy.
What We Treat
We treat head and neck cancers of the:
- Oral cavity (mouth)
- Oropharynx (where the mouth meets the throat, including the tonsils)
- Nasopharynx (the area behind the nose)
- Hypopharynx (the area connecting the mouth to the esophagus)
- Larynx (voicebox)
- Nasal cavity and surrounding sinuses
- Thyroid gland
- Salivary glands (including parotid and submandibular glands)
- Skin of the head and neck
- Eyes and orbits
- Base of skull (the intricate area where the brain sits)
Our Approach to Care
Head and neck cancers often require multiple types of therapy to be treated effectively. Our medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, and nurses and nurse practitioners work with head and neck surgeons at Columbia University Irving Medical Center to discuss your care and make sure you are receiving the most effective therapies. A patient navigator coordinates the various components of your care and serves as your point of contact for any questions you or your family may have. Our specialists are also members of the head and neck cancer team at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Cancer Center.
We understand that a diagnosis of head and neck cancer can be challenging for you as well as your loved ones. Our nutritionists, speech and swallowing experts, social workers, rehabilitation therapists, and others help you address the effects of cancer and its treatment — physical, emotional, and spiritual — to ensure you are in the best health possible during and after your therapy. Our dedicated team helps you recover from your treatment and return to the greatest possible function in the shortest possible time.
Why Choose Us
Head and neck cancers are highly treatable, but the various therapies we use can take a toll on your well-being. You may feel tired and have side effects such as dry mouth and trouble with speech, swallowing, and eating. Our team includes all of the specialists you need to get you through this challenging time, in a comfortable and warm setting that is close to your home and family. If standard treatments are not effective against your cancer, we can connect you with clinical trials of promising new approaches through our affiliation with the National Cancer Institute-designated Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at Columbia University Medical Center.
After your therapy is completed, our Cancer Survivorship Clinical Program helps coordinate your follow-up care and communication with your other healthcare providers as you return to life after treatment. Whatever care you need, you can access it seamlessly through our program. Make an appointment to learn more.