Oral Cancer Treatment in Hertfordshire

Oral squamous cell carcinoma is diagnosed by incisional biopsy under local anaesthetic, usually at the first appointment. Staging combines an MRI of the oral cavity and neck with a contrast-enhanced CT of the chest, and — in higher-stage disease — a PET-CT. Definitive treatment is discussed at a head and neck multidisciplinary meeting and typically involves wide local excision with a neck dissection, followed by reconstruction using a free flap where a significant defect remains. Mr Farook works with a fixed team of oncologists, radiologists and speech and language therapists so the pathway from biopsy to surgery is measured in days, not weeks.