Things to consider before going for head and neck cancer treatment
The head and neck are the most vital and fragile parts of the body. If diagnosed with head and neck cancer, there are a lot of things that should be kept in mind before starting the treatment. One should know how long the treatment would take and what are the chances of them defeating it. Cancer is a disease that can uproot a family, so one should tread carefully in its treatment, keeping in mind what is best for a patient and for their family.

What are the oral complications involved?
Oral complications refer to the side effects that slow the recovery of the patient. These can trouble the patient, and combating them is necessary. The head and neck cancer – treatment has more chances of oral complications.

• Oral complication leads to a stop in or slow growth of cells, and, as a result, the body may not be able to grow new cells to repair the old ones.
• Radiation therapy can cause the bones and salivary glands to break down.
• Some of the oral complications that spring up during the course of treatment are oral microsites, pain, infection in the gums, salivary gland degradation, and a deterioration of taste buds.

How can these oral complications be prevented?
In the head and neck cancer – treatment, if the oral complications are coming in the way of the patient’s recovery, such a situation needs immediate attention. There are some things one can do in order to resolve these oral complications:

• The doctor should reduce the dosage of treatments. Chemo sessions should be rescheduled in extreme cases.
• Employing preventive care as soon as possible is helpful. Treatment of cancer always comes with its complications; in order to combat those, preventive care should be started so that the problems can be detected earlier and can be taken care of at the beginning itself.

Is it curable?
The success of head and neck cancer – treatment and depends on what stage the cancer is detected at. Earlier detection increases the chances of getting cured. The factors on which the success of the head and neck cancer – treatment depends are as follows:

• The overall health of the patient plays a vital role. A strong body is capable of receiving chemotherapy and supporting a faster recovery, while a weak body may succumb to a lot of side effects, which will increase the period of treatment.
• The type of cancer diagnosed and the stage at which it is detected are also crucial for the successful treatment of a patient.

There are a lot of options for head and neck cancer – treatment, from chemotherapy to surgery. However, it depends from patient to patient as to how well their body responds to the treatment and starts healing.

What are the side effects?
There are a lot of side effects of head and neck cancer – treatment, and they are not limited to only bodily harm:

• A weaker body is a major side effect of the treatment of cancer. Cancer treatment is extreme and takes a toll on the body.
• The immune system is demolished. With the development of extra cells in the body and the white red blood cells combating those, the body is left vulnerable with its immune defenses down, and it has great difficulty in dealing with small ailments like flu.
• Loss of hair is common in the treatment of all types of cancer. If going through radiation therapy or chemotherapy, the loss of hair is something that one will experience first.
• A weak appetite is another major factor due to which recovery takes a long time. One might love to eat, but the neck and head cancer treatments come with many oral complications that hinder the intake of food. Not only this, but one’s favorite food might also end up making them nauseous.
• Brittle nails are something that one has to deal with during the treatment.
• The patient might suffer from emotional imbalance. If the body is unable to function properly and is unable to do things that could be done easily before, it takes a heavy toll on the psyche. Consulting a therapist during recovery is a must.

What are the chances of remission and recurrence?
There is no surety of how and when cancer might return.

• Cancer may recur in the same location after treatment, or it may change its location.
• Coping with the fear of recurrence is very important among cancer patients, and they should consult their doctors and therapists about the possibilities in depth.