The Head and Neck Cancers Program at Smilow Cancer Hospital provides total care, as well as innovative and organ-sparing treatment options to patients with cancers of the head and neck. Our team sets the tone nationally and internationally for clinical trials and state-of-the-art cancer care. By carefully balancing treatment efficacy with quality-of-life, our collaborative approach to care personalizes treatment for tumors affecting the neck, larynx (voice box), pharynx (throat), oral cavity (mouth), ear, sinuses, tonsils, and salivary glands, as well as cervical (neck) lymph nodes or neck structures. Our multidisciplinary team includes head and neck surgeons, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, pathologists, physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, nutritionists, a smoking cessation specialist, dentists, a physical/lymphedema therapist, advanced practice nurses, and social workers. Functional outcome is an important element in deciding which treatment approach is recommended. Our program offers a promising new surgical technique, transoral robotic surgery (TORS), that can be used to remove certain throat cancers while avoiding skin and bone incisions. This approach speeds healing and shortens a patient’s hospital stay. Likewise, patients with certain laryngeal cancers, who a few years ago would have lost their vocal cords and their voices, can often be treated with less invasive surgeries. Patients who undergo these treatments maintain their ability to speak, although they may need to alter their diet or learn new swallowing techniques. At Yale, rehabilitative specialists work with patients to help them adjust to and overcome some of these swallowing impairments. In many cases, radical neck dissections have been replaced by less radical surgeries that preserve the nerves, arteries, and muscles in the neck. Patients continue to move, speak, breathe, and eat normally after less radical surgeries, without sacrificing cure rates. Additionally, in recent years, the field of reconstructive surgery has achieved many breakthroughs, yielding previously unattainable cosmetic and functional outcomes. Medical Oncology Our medical oncologists have unique expertise in head and neck cancers and dedicate their practice entirely to cancers of the head and neck. The integration of chemotherapy with radiation has become very important for patients with head and neck cancers that involve the lymph nodes or is locally extensive, and this approach can lead to organ preservation and increase the chance of cure for many patients. Breakthroughs in targeted therapy and biomarkers allow a personalized approach that can avoid the toxicities of conventional chemotherapy in some cases, and new treatments to prevent recurrence in high-risk situations are also being studied. For patients with recurrent disease, new anti-cancer drugs and immunotherapies are also available. A study led by Yale Cancer Center revealed that the checkpoint inhibitor pembroli

Annually, approximately 32,000 new patients are diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a cancer of a type of white blood cell, or plasma cell. Overall survival in patients with myeloma has shown improvement in recent years, with new treatments approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as recently as this year. Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital have several clinical trials available for patients with myeloma in need of new options, or looking to receive the latest treatment advances. The treatment of multiple myeloma is usually given in phases and depends on the overall health and age of a patient at diagnosis. Induction therapy is used to reduce the amount of disease, followed by consolidation therapy to maximize response to treatment and reduce any remaining cancer cells. Maintenance therapy is administered after the initial treatment to help keep the disease well controlled. Autologous stem cell transplant, where patients serve as their own donor, is another treatment commonly used to treat multiple myeloma. When receiving therapy for multiple myeloma, our patients will be cared for by an expert, multidisciplinary team that can include the patient’s hematologist, focused on the treatment of myeloma and related diseases; stem cell transplant specialists; pathologists; and radiation oncologists, among other providers. The CAR T-Cell Therapy Program at Smilow Cancer Hospital brings innovative immunotherapy treatment options to patients with certain blood cancers. For adults with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, an FDA approved therapy ABECMA is available, which uses a patient’s own T-cells to help fight myeloma. This is the first cell-based gene therapy approved by the FDA for the treatment of multiple myeloma and is currently available at Smilow Cancer Hospital. Ongoing research and clinical trials in the field continue to provide patients with new options for care.

At Yale Medicine, our team of renowned physicians are leaders in the field of endocrinology. We specialize in understanding and treating the delicate balance of the endocrine system and the hormones that regulate essential body functions. Our physicians are also experts in the management of metabolic disease, which affects how your body processes food to create energy. We're here to provide you with advanced diagnostic and comprehensive treatment options that address these crucial hormonal and metabolic functions. Specialized care is offered in the following areas: Adrenal diseases, including adrenal masses, Cushing syndrome, hyperaldosteronism, and pheochromocytoma. Bone Center consists of a team of specialists with expertise in bone health who treat patients with bone diseases and disturbances in the metabolism of calcium and phosphorus, a mineral that helps build bones. Center for Weight Management, which offers assistance with weight and weight-related health conditions. Diabetes Center is comprised of diabetes specialists who help patients manage their diabetes and prevent long-term complications. Endocrine cancers of the thyroid and adrenal glands. Pituitary conditions and complex disorders. Thyroid diseases, including hyperthyroidism, thyroiditis, thyroid nodules, and thyroid cancer.