A lump or sore that doesn't heal
In the mouth, on the lip, or a painless lump in the neck.
Cancers We Treat
Head & neck cancers need radiation
Head & neck cancers need radiation
that protects function.
Head and neck cancers — including nasopharyngeal cancer, one of the more common cancers in Singapore — sit amongst the structures that let you speak, swallow and taste. Radiotherapy is central to their cure, and modern precision techniques exist to protect exactly those functions.
12%Of all cancers worldwide are head & neck
NPCNasopharyngeal cancer is notably common in Singapore
5thMost common cancer type worldwide
Image · placeholderAn AARO oncology nurse with a patient — support through a head and neck treatment course.
Image · placeholderAnatomy illustration — the head and neck region: nasopharynx, oral cavity, larynx
Head & Neck Cancer · What is it
Cancers of the mouth, throat and beyond.
Most head and neck cancers arise from squamous cells — the cells lining the moist inner surfaces of the mouth, nose and throat — and are called squamous cell carcinomas. The salivary glands contain different cell types and can develop rarer tumours of their own.
The category covers cancers of the mouth, tongue, lips, soft palate, nasal and paranasal sinuses, nasopharynx, throat, tonsils, salivary glands and thyroid. In Singapore, nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) is one of the more common cancers — and one where radiotherapy is the primary curative treatment.
Each type carries a different prognosis and treatment plan — which is why precise diagnosis of the exact site and stage comes before any treatment decision.
Head & Neck Cancer · Symptoms
When to see a doctor.
Symptoms depend on the exact site — but these general signs, when persistent, warrant assessment:
Persistent sore throat
A sore throat that doesn't resolve with usual treatment.
Difficulty swallowing
Food sticking, pain on swallowing, or progressive difficulty.
Voice changes
Hoarseness or a change in the voice that persists beyond a few weeks.
Mouth changes
White or red patches on the gums, tongue or mouth lining; jaw swelling; unusual bleeding or pain.
Ear & nose symptoms
One-sided blocked ear, hearing change, or blood-stained nasal discharge — classic NPC warning signs.
Head & Neck Cancer · Diagnosis
How head & neck cancer is diagnosed.
Diagnosis maps the exact site, extent and type — the three things that determine whether surgery, radiation or both lead the plan.
Image · placeholderNasoendoscopy examination in the ENT room
ENT examination
A specialist examination of the mouth, nose and throat, including flexible nasoendoscopy to visualise the nasopharynx and larynx.
Image · placeholderBiopsy specimen review under the microscope
Biopsy
Tissue from the suspicious site — or a needle sample from a neck lump — confirms the cancer type.
Image · placeholderHead and neck MRI on the review console
MRI & CT
Detailed imaging maps the tumour's local extent and relationship to critical structures.
Image · placeholderPET-CT staging review
PET-CT staging
Whole-body imaging checks lymph nodes and distant sites, completing the stage.
Head & Neck Cancer · Risk factors
What raises your risk?
Tobacco and alcohol drive most head and neck cancers worldwide — with two additional factors especially relevant in Asia:
Tobacco
Smoking and chewed tobacco are the dominant risk factors for oral and throat cancers.
Alcohol
Heavy alcohol use multiplies tobacco's risk rather than merely adding to it.
Epstein–Barr virus
EBV is strongly associated with nasopharyngeal cancer — part of why NPC is more common in this region.
HPV
Human papillomavirus drives a growing share of tonsil and tongue-base cancers.
Family history
Family history of NPC raises risk, particularly in southern Chinese populations.
Diet & preserved foods
Diets high in salt-preserved fish and foods are associated with NPC risk.
Head & Neck Cancer · Treatment
How AARO treats head & neck cancer.
Radiotherapy is central to head and neck cancer treatment — often curative on its own for NPC, or combined with chemotherapy and surgery for other sites. Precision here is not cosmetic: it protects your voice, swallowing and salivary function.
VMAT / IMRT
Intensity-modulated radiation sculpts dose around the salivary glands, swallowing muscles and spinal cord — the standard of care for head & neck sites.
Chemoradiation
Radiation with concurrent chemotherapy for locally advanced disease — the curative backbone for NPC and many throat cancers.
Image-guided delivery
Daily imaging keeps millimetre accuracy through a 6–7 week course, even as anatomy changes.
SRS for skull base & recurrence
Stereotactic techniques for selected skull-base tumours and re-irradiation of recurrent disease.
Head & Neck Cancer · Precision
Hours of planning, for one careful treatment.
Every plan at AARO goes through detailed contouring, dose simulation, and independent physics review before a single beam is delivered. We do this so the radiation hits exactly the tissue that needs it — and avoids the healthy tissue around it.
Image · placeholderTwo AARO radiation therapists at the planning console, reviewing a treatment plan together on a multi-monitor workstation.
We plan every dose.
Our medical physicists and radiation therapists collaborate on each plan — contouring tumour and organs-at-risk, simulating dose distribution, and independently checking every parameter before delivery.
Image · placeholderAn AARO team member reviewing verification imaging at the console — daily image guidance before treatment.
We verify every session.
Imaging before each fraction confirms the target's position to the millimetre — so tight margins stay safe, and healthy tissue stays out of the high-dose region.
Image · placeholderA patient comfortably positioned beneath the Elekta linear accelerator with green laser positioning lights and the signature starry ceiling above.
Head & Neck Cancer · What to expect
Quiet, precise, uneventful.
Each treatment session takes 15–30 minutes. You'll lie on a precision treatment couch beneath the linear accelerator. Positioning lasers and daily imaging align you to within a millimetre of the planned position.
You won't feel the radiation as it's delivered. There's no anaesthesia, no recovery time, and no overnight stay. Most patients drive themselves home after the session and return to normal activities the same day.
Image · placeholderThe four senior AARO specialists at the Centre for Stereotactic Radiosurgery.
Head & Neck Cancer · Your specialists
Meet Dr Jonathan Teh→
Sub-specialist care.
Head and neck radiotherapy at AARO is led by sub-specialists in nasopharyngeal, oral and throat cancers, working jointly with your ENT surgeon and medical oncologist.
Dr Jonathan TehGU · Head & Neck · GI · Sarcoma · Paediatric
Dr Daniel TanSRS · SBRT · Brain · Spine · Prostate
Recently diagnosed? Or seeking a second opinion?
Book a 45–60 minute specialist consultation. We'll review your imaging and pathology, explain the options that apply to your case, and answer your questions.