Head and Neck Tumors | Specialists and Information

Head and neck tumors are malignant growths in the head and neck region.

These include tumors:

• of the skin
• of connective and supporting tissue
• the bones
• the salivary glands
• of the upper and lower jaw, as well as
• the tongue, the floor of the mouth, and the cheeks
• Common head and neck tumors include:
• Laryngeal cancer
• Oral cavity cancer
• Pharyngeal cancer
• Salivary gland cancer or
• Lip cancer

Head and neck tumors account for 4 to 6 percent of all new cases of cancer each year and rank sixth worldwide among the most common types of malignant tumors.

In Germany, more than 10,000 people are diagnosed with head and neck tumors each year.

Smokers and people who consume excessive amounts of alcohol, in particular, have an increased risk of developing a head and neck tumor.

Head and neck tumors are various types of cancer that occur in the head and neck region @ Orawan /AdobeStock

Head and neck tumors are primarily treated using three therapeutic approaches:

• Surgery
• Radiation therapy, and
• Chemotherapy

Surgery is the most important component of treatment. During surgery, doctors remove the tumors.

This is often followed by aesthetic and/or functional reconstruction of the operated area—either because doctors must remove parts of the face or because they need to preserve and restore important bodily functions.

Important bodily functions include:

• swallowing
• chewing
• breathing, and
• speaking

Certified head and neck cancer centers offer patients the most advanced surgical techniques, developed in accordance with the latest scientific findings.

It therefore makes sense to have treatment performed at a certified head and neck cancer center. There, experienced teams of doctors from a wide variety of medical specialties work together in an interdisciplinary manner.

Radiation therapy for head and neck tumors @ AkuAku /AdobeStock

Certified head and neck cancer centers must be certified by the independent certification institute OnkoZert on behalf of the German Cancer Society.

They must be able to demonstrate that they can provide care for patients with head and neck tumors as follows:

• holistically
• interdisciplinary
• at the highest level of quality, and
• in accordance with evidence-based guidelines

The basis for this certification process is the questionnaire for head and neck tumor centers, which defines the technical requirements and certification criteria.

The certification commission consists of approximately 25 experts from the various participating professional societies and associations. Together, they develop this catalog of requirements, which is based on the recommendations of the “S3 Guideline on Oral Cavity Carcinoma.”

Interdisciplinary, multiprofessional, and—where appropriate—cross-site collaboration among medical specialties is the most important requirement for certified head and neck cancer centers.

This enables comprehensive care for patients with head and neck tumors (diagnosis, treatment, follow-up care, palliative care, and hospice care).

In certified head and neck cancer centers, the specialized disciplines, as well as outpatient and inpatient partners, work closely together. They must communicate effectively with one another to provide the best possible treatment.

Otolaryngology (ENT) and oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) are the two main disciplines of certified head and neck cancer centers.

In addition, other medical specialties are involved, such as:

• Hematology-Oncology
• Radiology
• Pathology
• Ophthalmology
• Neurosurgery, as well as
• Phoniatrics and
• Speech-Language Pathology

By combining these areas of expertise, a single treatment method is often sufficient. Certified head and neck cancer centers can offer a combination of the various treatment methods from the participating specialties.

Certified head and neck cancer centers also provide care for oncology patients through psycho-oncology, as well as through social services and support groups.

At head and neck cancer centers, oncology patients receive comprehensive treatment @ standret /AdobeStock

The goal of certified head and neck cancer centers is to optimize:

• The care structure in oncology clinics
• Holistic care for patients with head and neck cancers
• Structural guidelines and
• quality standards

Another goal is to provide guidance to affected patients in their search for a treatment facility.

The “Certified Head and Neck Cancer Center” seal of quality assures patients that they are in experienced and competent hands.

They feel well cared for, which makes it easier for them to cope with their illness and improves their chances of recovery.

The independent certification institute OnkoZert conducts the certification process on behalf of the German Cancer Society.

Certification as a Head and Neck Cancer Center is only possible if the medical facility is already certified as an oncology center.

If the facility is not certified as an oncology center, it must first obtain certification as an oncology center.

If the facility already holds a certificate as an oncology center, an informal request for an extension of the certification is sufficient.

Initial certification as a Head and Neck Cancer Center then takes place as part of the annual surveillance audit of the Oncology Center. The prerequisite is that the application be submitted at least 3 months before the scheduled audit date.

To achieve certification, a head and neck cancer center must first use the written questionnaire to demonstrate the extent to which it meets the quality requirements and certification criteria.

This is followed by an on-site audit, during which OnkoZert’s experts verify whether the Head and Neck Cancer Center meets the requirements.

Once the facility has successfully completed the certification process, it is awarded the “Certified Head and Neck Cancer Center” quality seal.

Its validity is linked to the validity of the certification as an oncology center.

The professional, personnel, and structural requirements that certified head and neck cancer centers must meet include:

• Treatment of at least 75 head and neck tumors per year
• Treatment of patients with head and neck tumors in accordance with the evidence-based guidelines of the oncology professional societies, specifically the “S3 Guideline for Oral Cavity Carcinoma”
• A minimum number of qualified physicians
• Availability of the departments of otolaryngology and oral and maxillofacial surgery, as well as other collaborating departments such as hematology-oncology, radiology, pathology, ophthalmology, and neurosurgery
• Evidence of interdisciplinary collaboration and communication among all participating departments
• Conducting interdisciplinary tumor conferences to determine treatment plans for all patients
• Coordination of treatment and procedural workflows within the Head Tumor Center; definition of interfaces at the transitions from inpatient to outpatient care