ABSTRACT
This chapter presents treatment guidelines regarding the rehabilitation of head and neck cancer patients. Resection of head and neck tumors often results in severe facial disfigurement and functional disabilities which affect speech, deglutition, control of saliva, and mastication (1,2). Rehabilitation is an essential part of cancer treatment. Rehabilitative efforts involve multiple treatment modalities involving multidisciplinary teamwork. Members of the team include head and neck surgeons, radiation therapists, medical oncologists, facial reconstructive surgeons, maxillofacial prosthodontists, speech and swallowing therapists, physical therapists, and nutritionists. Today, treatment for head and neck cancers involve surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or some combination thereof. Superior rehabilitation efforts rely on close coordination and communication among the resection surgeon, reconstructive surgeon, and maxillofacial prosthodontist (3-5).
