2023-08-17 00:00:00
Where you eat, talk and breathe Decreased quality of life… Personalized treatment is important
Professor Choi Seung-ho “If you believe in the medical staff and receive treatment to the end, you will get good results”
Seoul Asan Medical Center Head and Neck Cancer Center Director Choi Seung-ho_30 Recently, due to human papillomavirus (HPV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), the incidence of head and neck cancer is increasing not only in non-smokers but also in young adults. Choi Seung-ho, director of the Head and Neck Cancer Center (Professor of Otorhinolaryngology) at Seoul Asan Medical Center, treats a patient. The head and neck are where the various major organs are gathered. Cancer that occurs here is head and neck cancer. Although the incidence of head and neck cancer is uncommon, regarding 2% per year, early detection and treatment are important because it can lead to a decrease in quality of life.
According to the cancer registration statistics of the Ministry of Health and Welfare on the 17th, the number of head and neck cancer patients increased by regarding 30% in 10 years from 4346 in 2010 to 5666 in 2020. Drinking and smoking are known to be the main causes of head and neck cancer, but recently, due to human papillomavirus (HPV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), the incidence of head and neck cancer is increasing not only in non-smokers but also in young adults.
The head and neck region has a direct impact on the quality of life due to the characteristics of the site of occurrence. If you have symptoms such as a change in your voice that lasts for more than two weeks for no particular reason, an ulcer in your mouth that doesn’t heal well, or a lump in your neck, you should see an otolaryngologist. This is because if it is discovered in an advanced stage, it can cause sequelae following treatment as well as functional impairment of the affected area. However, if detected early, the recovery rate is high as well as functional preservation.
Early oral cancer requires many surgeries, and early laryngeal cancer can also be excised using a laser through the inside of the mouth without external scars. Even cancers in complex areas with a narrow surgical range, deep areas, such as the pharynx or larynx can be removed by robotic surgery through the mouth. The problem is head and neck cancer that has developed in the tongue, tonsils, larynx, maxilla, and mandible, which are responsible for important functions such as food intake and pronunciation. This is because extensive surgical removal of lesions can lead to serious functional deficits. Compared to other cancers, the process of head and neck cancer from diagnosis to treatment, reconstruction, and rehabilitation following treatment is rather long.
Choi Seung-ho, director of the Head and Neck Cancer Center at Asan Medical Center (Professor of Otorhinolaryngology), said, “For head and neck cancers of a certain size or larger, micro-reconstructive plastic surgery is essential along with cancer removal surgery.” It is an effective treatment method for head and neck cancer patients because it can restore not only cosmetic effects but also function by removing and reconstructing the tissue.”
[사진] Seoul Asan Medical Center Head and Neck Cancer Center Director Choi Seung-ho_20 Seoul Asan Hospital Head and Neck Cancer Center Director Choi Seung-ho (Professor of Otorhinolaryngology) said on the 17th, “Asan Medical Center’s goal is not only to lead the treatment of head and neck cancer patients in Korea, but also to secure a global status.” He said. In addition to surgical treatment for head and neck cancer, radiation therapy and chemotherapy are also considered. Intensity-controlled radiation therapy that reduces side effects or chemotherapy using targeted therapies and immuno-anticancer drugs minimizes side effects of treatment and improves treatment effects through patient-specific treatment, as well as treatments that promote improvement in the quality of life of patients.
Seoul Asan Medical Center Cancer Center opened the Head and Neck Cancer Center in 2009 and has been achieving high treatment results through patient-tailored integrated treatment. Head and neck cancer integrated treatment develops optimal diagnosis and treatment for each patient with the participation of faculty members from the departments of otolaryngology, radiation oncology, oncology, and radiology. The pathology department accurately identifies the patient’s stage, and the plastic surgery department takes charge of reconstructive surgery to maintain the function and structure of the missing area following cancer removal. The Department of Rehabilitation Medicine is increasing patient satisfaction through speech language rehabilitation treatment and swallowing rehabilitation treatment to minimize post-treatment sequelae.
In 2022, the Head and Neck Cancer Center treated 60,000 head and neck cancer patients and performed 500 head and neck cancer surgeries. Since the establishment of the center, more than 1,900 patients have been treated through integrated medical treatment. Through this, Asan Medical Center Head and Neck Cancer Center not only secured Korea’s largest head and neck cancer clinical data as a single institution, but is also actively conducting research.
Basic experiments such as cause analysis to reduce the recurrence of head and neck cancer, research on tumor markers and cancer genome analysis, and clinical trials using new anticancer drugs such as targeted therapy or immuno-anticancer drugs are also in progress, developing new treatments and improving the survival rate of head and neck cancer patients. It is evaluated that it plays a significant role in
Director Choi said, “Asan Medical Center’s head and neck cancer center strives to provide optimal care to patients throughout the entire treatment process, from diagnosis to surgery.” We are doing our best to improve the quality of life of head and neck cancer patients by minimizing it.” Director Choi emphasized, “Our goal is not only to lead the treatment of head and neck cancer patients in Korea, but also to secure a global status.”
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