Diagnosing Head and Neck cancer

Diagnostics and Tests in clinic may include:

• A nasendoscopy is a thin, flexible tube with a camera at the end which is used to look for tumours at the back of your mouth, nose, pharynx and larynx.  This is often performed at your clinic visit.
• A trans-nasal flexible laryngo-oesophagoscopy (TNFLO) may be used instead of an endoscopy if the patient is unable to have a general anaesthetic. It allows the doctor to look at your nose, throat, voice box and oesophagus.

Further diagnostics may include:

• Scanning with CT, MRI (and sometimes PET) will be required to assess the tumour and any local or distant spread of the disease.
• An ultrasound uses soundwaves to produce a picture of your neck and allows the radiographer to review the lymph nodes on a screen. Under ultrasound guidance a tissue sample may also be taken with a fine needle.

Procedures under sedation or General Anaesthesia:

• An upper gastrointestinal GI endoscopy is a longer endoscope that may be required to identify tumours further down in the upper oesophagus.
• Microlaryngoscopy / pharyngoscopy/ oesophagoscopy under a General Anaesthetic may be required for further assessment and to take tissue samples (biospies) for diagnosis.