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Head & Neck Surgery

Jeffrey N. Myers, M.D., Ph.D., FACS

Department Chair

In the Head and Neck Surgery department, our goal is to deliver the highest possible clinical care for patients with cancer of the head and neck. Using an interdisciplinary approach, experts from across disciplines come together in the Head and Neck Center to provide state-of-the-art care for patients with all types and stages of head and neck cancer.

Our team of specialists treats patients with tumors of the thyroid and parathyroid glands, salivary glands, oral cavity, larynx, pharynx, paranasal sinus, and skull base; melanomas; nonmelanoma skin cancers; sarcomas of the soft tissue and bone; and ocular, orbital, and ocular adnexal malignancies. In the department, a highly qualified staff with special expertise in head and neck surgery, endocrine surgery, otology, oral oncology, ophthalmology, neuro-ophthalmology, speech pathology and audiology offers patients with these tumors the latest and most effective treatment options.

Head and Neck Surgery comprises five subsections, which provide focused centers of excellence for the treatment of patients and development of research:

Section of Head and Neck Surgical Oncology
Section of Head and Neck Endocrine Surgery
Section of Oral Oncology and Maxillofacial Prosthodontics
Section of Ophthalmology
Section of Speech Pathology and Audiology

Experts in the Section of Head and Neck Endocrine Surgery have extensive experience with surgery of the thyroid and parathyroid glands, including benign thyroid conditions requiring surgery as well as both common and rare thyroid malignancies. Patient's benefit from the expertise of our surgeons in a unique high-volume surgical practice in advanced and recurrent thyroid cancers, which provides state-of-the-art surgical techniques and treatments that are individually tailored for optimal outcome. Faculty in the Section of Head and Neck Endocrine Surgery also lead a robust research program, where discoveries in the laboratory help to advance the therapies available for our patients.

In addition, MD Anderson's Skull Base Tumor Program, led by world-renowned head and neck surgery and neurosurgery experts, offers patients with benign or malignant tumors of the skull base the most current diagnostic and treatment options available. And the new Oral Cancer Prevention Clinic, located in the Head and Neck Center, provides a specialized setting for the diagnosis of disease and the monitoring and treatment of patients with precancerous lesions of the oral cavity.

At MD Anderson, treatment for head and neck cancer is specifically tailored to address the needs of each patient by a team of experts who specialize in tumors of the head and neck. Treatment may include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or a combination of therapies. Comprehensive treatment plans are designed to provide the highest level of care and to optimize functional outcome. Patients discover that they can exceed the initial limitations after surgery through the help of caring professionals in Head and Neck Surgery and throughout MD Anderson.

The mission of Head and Neck Surgery is to optimize the oncologic and quality-of-life outcomes for patients afflicted with head and neck cancer through integrated multi-disciplinary oncologic and supportive care and research.

Jeffrey N. Myers, M.D., Ph.D.

Chair, Head and Neck Surgery

Training Programs

Head & Neck Surgical Oncology Fellowship

The MD Anderson Head and Neck Surgical Oncologic Fellowship aspires to train individuals in state of the art multidisciplinary care for patients with head and neck cancer, develop leaders in the field of head and neck oncologic surgery, and provide a rigorous academic experience in which fellows can participate in clinical, outcomes, translational, and/or basic science research under the guidance of a suitable mentor(s); with the ultimate goal of attaining support for future research endeavors upon the completion of training. The Head and Neck Surgical Oncology fellowship programs are one, two, or three years long. All three programs are accredited by the Joint Council for Approval of Advanced Teaching in Head and Neck Surgical Oncology.

Learn more about the Head & Neck Surgical Oncology Fellowship.

Head & Neck Surgical Oncologic with Microvascular Reconstruction Fellowship

The MD Anderson Head and Neck Surgical Oncologic with Microvascular Reconstruction Fellowship aspires to train individuals in state of the art multidisciplinary care for patients with head and neck cancer, develop leaders in the field of head and neck oncologic surgery, and provide a rigorous academic experience.

This is a two-year combined fellowship in the departments of Head and Neck Surgical Oncology and Plastic Surgery, thus offering a full year of intensive training in each discipline. The first year is dedicated to head and neck surgery clinical training. The second year is a pure reconstructive experience directed and supervised by the department of Plastic Surgery, where the focus is on the reconstruction of head and neck surgical defects. Microvascular reconstructive training has a strong emphasis on applying advanced reconstructive techniques to repair complex defects, including the skills necessary for microvascular free tissue harvest and transfer.

Learn more about the Head & Neck Surgical Oncologic with Microvascular Reconstruction Fellowship.

Oral Oncology & Maxillofacial Prosthodontics Fellowship

The Oral Oncology and Maxillofacial Prosthodontics Fellowship is a fourth-year-level program for board-eligible or board-qualified prosthodontists who have completed a program in prosthodontics at an institution accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association.

The objective of this fellowship program is to provide advanced training in maxillofacial prosthetics and oral oncology. The training entails direct involvement in patient care under the direct supervision of full-time faculty, as well as participation in an organized, didactic core curriculum. Fellows have an opportunity to interact extensively with head and neck surgeons, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, and practitioners of other medical disciplines involved in the care of cancer patients. A mentor from the faculty is assigned to each fellow to supervise a research project.

Learn more about the Oral Oncology & Maxillofacial Prosthetic Fellowship.

Oncologic Audiology Fellowship

The Doctor of Audiology (AuD) 4th-year Fellowship (Intern in Audiology) Program seeks to provide oncology specialized academic clinical training to 4th-year Interns in Audiology through supervised direct patient care, interdisciplinary observations and mentorship, clinical research experience, and didactic teaching. The AuD Fellowship will fulfill the requirements necessary to graduate from an Audiology doctoral program and attain a Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology (CCC-A) by the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA).

The AuD Fellowship Program supports our Institutional mission to provide educational programs of the highest quality to enhance trainees’ skills and knowledge necessary for career success. The MD Anderson AuD Fellowship is a highly competitive training program.

Learn more about the Oncologic Audiology Fellowship.

Randal S. Weber Education and Research Fellowship in Head and Neck Cancer Care Transformation and Discovery

The Randal S. Weber Education and Research Fellowship in Head and Neck Cancer Care Transformation and Discovery is a two- or three-year clinical and research post-residency subspecialty fellowship in advanced head and neck surgical oncology. The emphasis of this fellowship is research and clinical training focused on acquiring the skills to deliver the safest, highest quality, and highest value care and potentially to pursue a career as a surgeon–scientist.

Learn more about the Randal S. Weber Education and Research Fellowship in Head and Neck Cancer Care Transformation and Discovery.