The three main types of neck cancer treatment options are surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. The primary treatments are radiation therapy or surgery or both combined.

1. Radiation therapy: Radiation therapy kills cancer cells by using high- energy X-rays. There are two procedures to treat neck cancer. Under external radiation therapy, machine is used from outside the body to send radiation toward the cancer. Whereas in internal radiation therapy or radiation implant the radioactive substances sealed in needles, seeds, wires or catheters are placed directly near the cancer. Several sessions of brachytherapy may be required to kill the cancer. 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy combines multiple radiation treatment to deliver precise doses of radiation to the affected area. Radiation therapy might also be given in conjunction with surgical treatment. Radiation therapy affects only in the treated area.

Neck cancer treatment by radiation therapy is also used before a surgery to shrink a tumor or to destroy cancer cells. If the tumor grows again after surgery then radiation therapy is given.

External beam therapy: In this type of neck cancer treatment high energy X-rays are beamed at the location of the tumor. The beam which is targeted to the tumor is generated outside the patient.s body. These X-rays destroy the cancer cells and also the surrounding normal tissues remain un-affected.

Intensity-modulated radiation therapy: This is an advanced mode of high precision radiotherapy. This therapy utilizes computer controlled X-ray accelerators that deliver precise radiation doses to the cancerous tumor or specific areas within the tumor. This therapy helps to avoid damage to healthy tissues and thus reducing side-effects.

2. Surgery: Surgery is performed to remove the cancer and also the surrounding tissue. Lymph nodes in the neck might also be removed to check if the cancer has spread. Lymph nodes in the neck might also be removed if the cancer is found in them. Radiation therapy might be given after surgery. Patients have also responded well to combinations of surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

Transoral laser surgery: Many types of neck cancers also require extensive surgery sot that the face and neck are not disfigured. With laser surgery the surgeons are able to remove the tumor with less bleeding, less healing time and less scars. This neck cancer treatment could be done without open surgery. Moreover the jaws are not broken and the lips aren.t split to do the surgery. Often the affected area could be accessed via the mouth. Patients retain their ability to speak, eat and swallow with this type of treatment.

3. Chemotherapy: Neck cancer treatment by chemotherapy is used to kill cancer cells by use of drugs. Chemotherapy stops the cancer cells from dividing and also destroys them. If chemotherapy is given before radiation therapy it is called as induction therapy. This treats local cancer and also any potential cancer outside radiotherapy.

4. Chemoradiotherapy: This treatment of neck cancer refers to the treatment of neck cancer with chemotherapy and radiotherapy simultaneously. This therapy is used either after the surgery or after induction chemotherapy.