Good Samaritan Medical Center
Cancer Centers of Colorado
340 Exempla Circle, 1st Floor
Lafayette, CO 80026-3384
Head and neck cancer means any cancer that starts in the region of the head or neck, such as the sinuses, mouth or throat. If you have concerns, you can trust us to for education, early detection and screening, what to expect and next steps after a diagnosis.
When you’re diagnosed, every day counts. If you have a benign or malignant (cancerous) tumor of the head or neck, we’ll help you review and understand your options so you can quickly move to treatment.
Head and neck cancer detection and diagnosis
Talk to your doctor if you notice a lump in your jaw or throat or have symptoms of a common cold for more than two weeks, such as:
- Ear pain or ringing
- Headache
- Persistent cough
- Sore throat
- Trouble swallowing
Your doctor can conduct a complete head and neck exam and order special endoscopic exams. Depending on your results, you may be referred to our advanced imaging services or need a biopsy. A pathologist, a doctor who specializes in diagnosing disease, will look at your cell samples to identify the presence of cancer and determine its type and whether it’s noninvasive or invasive.
Read about endoscopic procedures and our imaging services.
Innovative techniques and technologies offered
We target head and neck tumors with some of the most advanced treatments and technology available. In the hands of our experts, tools such as these can lead to optimal results and improved survival rates. Throughout our system, our advanced offerings include:
- da Vinci® robot – A robotic surgical system designed to facilitate complex surgery using a minimally invasive approach. This system enables surgeons to make smaller, more precise movements with tiny instruments inside your body, which can help you heal more quickly.
- TrueBeam™– A medical device that delivers a radiation beam to target cancer while exposing healthy cells to minimal radiation. No incisions are made; the noninvasive device rotates around the patient, delivering the radiation dose from different angles.
You will need to call your local hospital to learn which of these options are available in your area.
