Dr. Saba on Improving Cancer Detection Rates in HNSCC

Nabil F. Saba, MD, FACP, director, Head and Neck Medical Oncology Program, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, professor, Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Department of Otolaryngology, Emory University School of Medicine, discussed the role of general practitioners in maintaining the health of their patients with cancer and how to better diagnosis select types of head and neck cancer.

With the aging population in America, the incidence of cancer is on the rise, according to Saba. Therefore, educating general practitioners on the signs and symptoms of cancer will help diagnose patients sooner.

In head and neck cancer, patients are often referred to Saba with symptoms of consistent sore throat following antibiotics. For unresolving symptoms like this, Saba encourages general practitioners to refer patients to specialists, such as a head and neck expert or an otolaryngologist, to have a closer evaluation.

Oropharyngeal cancer is on the rise and has surpassed the incidence of cervix cancer to become the most common human papillomavirus related cancer. Although this disease is currently known to affect mostly younger populations, it is projected to become most common in males over the age of 65 over the next few decades, according to Saba.