Miriam N Lango, MD

I joined the department of surgical oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center in 2004 as a head and neck surgeon as well as an ear, nose and throat specialist. In my practice, I have a special interest in tumors located in the upper aerodigestive tract, thyroid, skull base and sinonasal tract. My particular area of treatment expertise is minimally-invasive surgery.

It is an exciting time to work in my field. Traditionally, cancers of the head and neck (mouth, tongue, larynx and pharynx) required radical surgery followed by radiation. Surgery frequently robbed patients of the ability to speak intelligibly, swallow or eat solid food. Today, many more options are available. I believe the goal of treatment is to cure cancer while preserving as much quality of life as possible. Technological advances in surgery have made this possible for many patients.

Today, surgeons can safely remove deeply seated tumors with little collateral damage to normal tissues by using minimally invasive surgical techniques. Since not every tumor is appropriately treated using minimally invasive approaches, it is important for each patient to undergo a comprehensive evaluation before starting treatment. For some patients, surgery may not be a good option. Radiation with or without chemotherapy may be more effective or provide a better quality of life in the long run.

Because all patients and tumors are different, decision-making can be complex. Typically, a patient who is evaluated at Fox Chase will see physicians from several specialties including surgical oncology, radiation oncology and medical oncology. I believe that this type of multispecialty evaluation is important in determining the best treatment for each patient. Armed with state-of-the-art information, our patients can make informed decisions about their care.

I believe that patient quality of life has been a relatively neglected area of study. Novel treatment approaches have the potential to diminish treatment-related side effects. I am currently the principal investigator of a clinical trial to measure swallowing function and quality of life in head and neck cancer patients. I hope that what we learn will be used to help guide treatment recommendations for our patients.