Head and Neck Cancer Center - Sterling, VA
Sterling Oncologist Doctors for Head and Neck CancerType 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 Oncologist Doctors in Sterling * Kaiser Permanente  Arlington-Fairfax Hematology & Oncology  Virginia Cancer Institute Sterling, VirginiaUpcoming Local Events2012-06-02
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Head and Neck CancerRead the Head and Neck Cancer article » 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:
Recommended Reading Related to Head and Neck CancerWhat 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 ... Other Related Head and Neck Cancer ArticlesEmergency Contact for Sterling
Nearby Sterling Hospitals *Inova Loudoun Hospital Center Reston Hospital Center Inova Fair Oaks Hospital  North Spring Behavioral Healthcare  Graydon Manor Behavioral Health  Adventist Rehabilitation Hospital of Maryland  Potomac Ridge Behavioral Health Adventist HealthCare  Shady Grove Adventist Hospital  Inova Fairfax Hospital  Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children  Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute  Suburban Hospital  National Institutes of Health  Sibley Memorial Hospital  Dominion Hospital  Virginia Hospital Center  Psychiatric Institute of Washington  Prince William Hospital  Georgetown University Hospital  Holy Cross Hospital  Montgomery General Hospital  Walter Reed Army Medical Center  The George Washington University Hospital  Inova Alexandria Hospital  Washington Adventist Hospital  Howard University Hospital  National Rehabilitation Hospital  Washington Hospital Center  Children's National Medical Center  Washington DC VA Medical Center  Providence Hospital  The HSC Pediatric Center  The Specialty Hospital of Washington  Saint Elizabeth's Hospital  The Specialty Hospital of Washington-Hadley  Gladys Spellman Specialty Hospital  Inova Mount Vernon Hospital  Frederick Memorial Hospital  Prince George's Hospital Center  United Medical Center  Laurel Regional Hospital  Potomac Hospital  Doctors Community Hospital  Jefferson Memorial Hospital  Howard County General Hospital  Fort Washington Hospital  Fauquier Hospital  Southern Maryland Hospital Center  Springfield Hospital Center Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
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