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Head and Neck Cancer Center - Sioux City, IA

Sioux City Oncologist Doctors for Head and Neck Cancer

Type of Physician: Oncologist

What is a Oncologist?

A subspecialty certification by the Board of Internal Medicine; the oncologist specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of all types of cancer and other benign and malignant tumors. These subspecialists decide on and administer chemotherapy as well as consult with surgeons and radiotherapists on other treatment for cancer.

Specialty: Oncology (Medical)

Common Name: Cancer Doctor

Sioux City, Iowa

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Head and Neck Cancer

What is cancer?

Cancer is a group of many related diseases that begin in cells, the body's basic unit of life. Normally, cells grow and divide to form new cells in an orderly way. They perform their functions for a while, and then they die. Sometimes, however, cells do not die. Instead, they continue to divide and create new cells that the body does not need. The extra cells form a mass of tissue, called a growth or tumor. There are two types of tumors: benign and malignant. Benign tumors are not cancer. They do not invade nearby tissue or spread to other parts of the body. Malignant tumors are cancer. Their growth invades normal structures near the tumor and spreads to other parts of the body. Metastasis is the spread of cancer beyond one location in the body.

What kinds of cancers are considered cancers of the head and neck?

Most head and neck cancers begin in the cells that line the mucosal surfaces in the head and neck area, e.g., mouth, nose, and throat. Mucosal surfaces are moist tissues lining hollow organs and cavities of the body open to the environment. Normal mucosal cells look like scales (squamous) under the microscope, so head and neck cancers are often referred to as squamous cell carcinomas. Some head and neck cancers begin in other types of cells. For example, cancers that begin in glandular cells are called adenocarcinomas.

Cancers of the head and neck are further identified by the area in which they begin:

  • Oral cavity. The oral cavity includes the lips, the front two-thirds of the tongue, the gingiva (gums), the buccal mucosa (lining inside the cheeks and lips), the floor (bottom) of the mouth under the tongue, the hard palate (bony top of the mouth), and the small area behind the wisdom teeth.
  • Salivary glands. The salivary glands produce saliva, the fluid that keeps mucosal surfaces in the mouth and throat mois...

Recommended Reading Related to Head and Neck Cancer

Cancer »

What is cancer?

Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells anywhere in a body. The abnormal cells are termed cancer cells, malignant cells, or tumor cells. Many cancers and the abnormal cells that compose the cancer tissue are further identified by the name of the tissue that the abnormal cells originated from (for example, breast cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer). Cancer is not confined to humans; animals and other living organisms can get cancer. Below is a schematic that shows normal cell division and how when a cell is damaged or altered without repair to its system, the cell usually dies. Also shown is what can occur when such damaged or unrepaired cells do not die and become cancer cells and proliferate with uncontrolled growth; a mass of cancer cells develop. Frequently, cancer cells can break away from this original mass of cells, travel through the blood and lymph systems, and lodge in other organs where they can again repeat the ...

Emergency Contact for Sioux City

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Sioux City Hospitals *

Mercy Medical Center Sioux City
801 5th St
Sioux City, IA 51101
(712)279-2010

St Luke's Regional Medical Center
2720 Stone Park Blvd
Sioux City, IA 51104
(712)279-3500

Floyd Valley Hospital
714 Lincoln St NE
Le Mars, IA 51031
(712)546-7871

Pender Community Hospital
603 Earl St
Pender, NE 68047
(402)385-3083

Sanford Health Vermillion
20 S Plum St
Vermillion, SD 57069
(605)624-2611

Hawarden Community Hospital
1111 11th St
Hawarden, IA 51023
(712)551-3100

Providence Medical Center
1200 Providence Rd
Wayne, NE 68787
(402)375-3800

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