Wellstar Experts Treat Head & Neck Cancers, STAT
At Wellstar, every patient’s care plan is tailored to their needs. When it comes to head and neck cancers, a team of expert specialists form an interdisciplinary care team that supports the patient and their family through the whole treatment process.
In Wellstar STAT Clinics—short for Specialty Teams and Treatments—patients can see multiple cancer specialists to be diagnosed, have questions answered and finalize a treatment plan in a single day at one location. This reduces the need to drive to different locations and helps the patient start treatment faster.
“The concept of multidisciplinary care is tried and true and shown to be effective for cancer patients,” said Dr. Fiyin Sokoya, a Wellstar head and neck cancer surgeon. “This model decreases the time to proceed with and receive care.”
First, a team of medical experts, including a head and neck cancer surgeon and facial plastic surgeon, a radiation oncologist, a medical oncologist, a pathologist and a neuroradiologist, review the patient’s pathology and imaging as a group to diagnose, stage and create a personalized treatment plan.
Next, the patient and their family meet with the experts. This is an opportunity for the patient to learn about the recommended treatments and ask questions.
“Traditionally, patients must drive to several different appointments to learn the stage of their cancer, meet with different specialists and make decisions,” said Wellstar Medical Oncologist Dr. Nagender Mankan. “At that point, four to five weeks have gone by. In STAT Clinics, we are expediting the complicated decision-making process.”
The patient also meets with a nurse navigator. This specialized nurse helps coordinate many aspects of care for the patient including scheduling appointments and connecting patients with support team members, such as a registered dietitian, a speech therapist or a dentist who may help relieve irritation in the mouth and throat.
While Wellstar is well-equipped to help you fight head and neck cancers, there are steps you can take to prevent cancer from forming, including limiting exposure to the sun and cutting out tobacco and alcohol. Your Wellstar care team can work with you on a plan to keep your head and neck healthy and set achievable goals to prevent cancer.
