Clinical and endoscopic examination by your ENT doctor contributes to early diagnosis, effective treatment planning, and monitoring of a malignant disease. The treatment, which is personalized for each patient, may include surgery, radiotherapy, and the use of drugs (chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy).
After the end of treatment, ideally the tumor will have disappeared. However, there is always the possibility, sometimes greater and sometimes lesser, that the tumor will reappear after the end of treatment. For the above reason, it is very important to have regular check-ups (usually every 2-3 months for the first few years) in order to detect any recurrence in a timely manner.
The ENT Doctor is the only one who can effectively perform endoscopy of the larynx (laryngoscopy) and pharynx with flexible and rigid endoscopes and detect any tumor recurrence in a timely manner, thus gaining valuable time to treat the disease and increasing the chances of cure.
Additionally, clinical and ultrasound examination of the cervical lymph nodes, which are usually the first site of metastasis of a head and neck tumor, can be performed at regular intervals.
In addition to your ENT doctor, you will also be monitored by your radiation therapist or clinical oncologist, who will guide you regarding the necessary imaging and laboratory tests.
It is particularly important to know that if the initial treatment is carried out with radiotherapy (usually in the context of primary chemoradiotherapy) and tumor recurrence occurs, the only treatment options are surgical removal of the tumor and/or the palliative use of oncological drugs.
In conclusion, after the end of treatment for a malignant Head and Neck disease, regular clinical and endoscopic examination by an ENT doctor is imperative.
