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Pediatric Head and Neck Cancer Care

In partnership with Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, we bring together a team of highly experienced specialists to provide children with tumors of the head and neck, whether benign or malignant, with the very best plan for treatment and recovery.

Radiation oncologist Dr. Bree Eaton with pediatric patient in waiting area

Partners in Your Child's Care

Although tumors of the head and neck are rare in children, they can have devastating consequences on their quality of life. Modern, team-based approaches utilizing current tumor removal techniques and reconstruction can offer pediatric patients a meaningful recovery and restore them to full function.

We believe that children should have the same access to the highest-quality care as their adult counterparts. As a result, we have partnered with colleagues from Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory Proton Therapy Center to bring together a wide range of specialists including pediatric otolaryngologists and head and neck surgeons, reconstructive surgeons, pediatric oral and maxillofacial surgeons, pediatric oncologists and radiation oncologists to treat pediatric tumors of the head and neck.

Our head and neck program was designed with the knowledge that patients do better when clinicians can interact and collaborate. In our clinic, patients can stay in one space and have multiple providers come to them during a single appointment.

The benefits of our multidisciplinary and highly experienced teams include:

  • Access to leading experts in the treatment of pediatric tumors of the head and neck who rank among the top experts in the world.
  • Weekly review of patient cases by a multidisciplinary team of specialists.
  • Coordinated scheduling for appointments among various specialties.
  • Availability of innovative treatment options through clinical trials in surgery, radiation and systemic therapy.

Diagnosing Head and Neck Tumors in Children

Tumors of the head and neck affect the mouth, throat, nose and sinuses and salivary glands. Oral and oropharyngeal, laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancers as well as endocrine and skullbase tumors are included in this group of diseases.

There are several ways your child's physician may diagnose for head and neck cancer:

  • Physical examination.
  • Imaging via CT, MRI or PET scans with reviews by head and neck cancer radiology experts.
  • Endoscopy: flexible or rigid endoscopes are used to look for abnormal tissue throughout the head and neck.
  • Biopsy: a small sample of tissue is examined by a pathologist under a microscope to look for cancerous cells.

Treatment Options

Our head and neck specialists provide one or more of the following types of treatment:

Surgery

The main purpose of surgery for head and neck cancer patients is to remove the tumor and some of the healthy tissue around it so that there is an adequate margin of resection. Reconstructive surgical options are also discussed before the start of treatment.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill or slow the growth of cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be used in combination with surgery or radiation to maximize the treatment. It can also be used to treat advanced disease by itself or as part of a clinical trial program.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill cancer cells. It may also be used in combination with a chemotherapy drug that makes the radiation more effective.

Proton Therapy

Proton therapy is the next generation of radiation oncology. It uses protons to treat cancerous tumors throughout the body and can be more targeted than conventional forms of radiation treatment. This can lead to fewer side effects. The Emory Proton Therapy Center is the only center of its kind in Georgia to offer patients access to this advanced radiation therapy.

Immunotherapy

At Winship, this type of treatment is available as a standard of care and uses your body's immune system to recognize and to enhance its ability to tackle cancer cells.

Targeted Therapy

Winship's most promising research in treating head and neck cancer is in personalized medicine and targeted therapies. In targeted therapies, investigators look for new drugs that more selectively target cancer cells with fewer side effects.

Clinical Trials

Consider talking with your doctor about enrolling your child in a clinical trial at Winship. Through these trials, they may have access to treatments that are not widely available.