Department of Otolaryngology (ENT) - Head & Neck Surgery

The MUSC Hollings Cancer Center Head & Neck Tumor Program is the most comprehensive of its kind in the state. In fact, few centers in the country are organized to offer this level of multidisciplinary expertise. This program places an emphasis on head and neck tumor surgery, microvascular reconstructive surgery, thyroid/parathyroid disorders, skull base surgery, and endoscopic and minimally invasive skull base and transoral surgery.

The focus of the clinical evaluation of patients is through a multidisciplinary approach with all patients seen at Hollings Cancer Center Head & and Neck Clinic. The clinic is staffed daily by Head and Neck Surgeons, Radiation Oncologists, Medical Oncologists, Speech Pathologists and Maxillofacial Prosthodontists providing immediate one-stop evaluation for complicated cases.

Every patient is discussed prospectively at the weekly Head & Neck Tumor Board attended by the aforementioned specialists along with many others from the Multidisciplinary Team.

Head and Neck Tumor Program Multidisciplinary Team

Recommendations are made on how to utilize or combine surgery, chemotherapy radiology or other therapies to create the most beneficial approach for the individual. Treatment plans can also be created to allow patients to be close to home. By working closely with referring physicians, patients receive the best care possible in the most convenient and supportive fashion. In addition, each patient is assigned a head and neck nurse coordinator dedicated to their needs. This healthcare professional serves as a resource to patients and their families for all phases of their care. The Head & Neck Clinical Team meets weekly every Monday 7:30 a.m. to discuss the inpatient, outpatient and surgical schedule and plan a comprehensive care approach to every patient and their family. Tumor Board meets Monday and Friday to discuss the mutlitude of issues affecting the patients and prospectively develop treatment plans.

Expansion of the clinical team has resulted in reorganization of educational programs under the leadership of Dr. Joshua Hornig. An organized lecture schedule, cadaver dissections and a soft tissue surgery course have been developed during the past 12 months. Current projects include the development of a skull base surgery course and microvascular surgery laboratory.

The Head & Neck Research growth is one of the most exciting areas with the recruitment of Dr. Rita Young. In fact, collaborations now exist with the College of Dental Medicine (Drs. London, Davis, Ravenel, Reed, Neville, and Chi), the College of Graduate Studies (Drs. Ogretmen, Norris, Rosenzweig, Walle, O’Toole, Hoffman, Byeon, Kawamori, and Zhou), and the College of Health Professions (Drs. Yuen, Smith, VanLue, and Martin-Harris). Through these collaborations, recent funding has included major grants from NCI, NIDCR, CDC, and ACS in head and neck oncology involving faculty in otolaryngology. A recent program project grant has been awarded seed funding for future NCI application and pilot research.

Weekly meetings include the Oral Cancer Research Group, Program Project Research Group and Functional Outcomes Group.

Key Faculty

Surgery
 Terry A. Day, MD, Clinical Vice Chairman & Director, Head & Neck Oncologic Surgery
 M. Boyd Gillespie, MD, Associate Professor
 Joshua D. Hornig, MD, FRCS(C), Assistant Professor
 Judith M. Skoner, MD, Assistant Professor
 Eric J. Lentsch, MD, Associate Professor
 J. David Osguthorpe, MD, Professor
 Khanh Gien Hoang, MD, Associate Professor
 Mary Beth Chalk, RN, MSN, NP

Maxillofacial Prosthodontics, Dental Oncology & Oral Pathology
 Betsy K. Davis, DMD, Associate Professor
 Brad Neville, DDS

Speech Therapy
 Bonnie Martin-Harris, PhD, Associate Professor

Translational Research
 M. Rita Young, PhD

Radiation Oncology
 Anand K. Sharma, MD

Key Equipment/Resources
The newly opened Cooper Pavilion at Hollings Cancer Center offers state-of-the-art patient exam rooms, computer systems, PACS system for MRI imaging, speech pathology evaluation, and therapy room with video with flexible laryngoscope/video stroboscopy. In addition, a dedicated examination and treatment room is available for dental oncology and maxillofacial prosthodontics.

This Head & Neck Oncology facility includes a total of 10 examination rooms, including simultaneous evaluation by Head & Neck Surgery, Radiation Oncology, Medical Oncology, Speech Pathology, Maxillofacial Prosthondontics, Reconstructive Surgery, Physical Therapy, and Social Work. Hollings Cancer Center provides a head and neck oncology nurse coordinator, clinical nurse specialist and patient care technician for each clinic.

Head & Neck Oncology Program Accomplishments

Clinical

• MUSC is currently recognized as the leading institution in the state and one of the top — if not the top — in the region for head and neck cancer care.
• Expansion to include five fellowship-trained head and neck oncologic surgeons.
• Increase from 125 annual to more than 3,600 new tumor patients seen from 1999 through 2005.
• Increase from 35 microvascular free tissue transfers per year in 2000 to more than 80 in 2005.

Research

• Obtained grants with total value of more than $5 million in 2005. Receipt of the first- ever Program Project Grant seed funding through Hollings Cancer Center. Research Team membership of more than 125 researchers in South Carolina to the Head & Neck Research Team.
• The largest accrual to the Hollings Cancer Center Tumor Bank with more than 400 specimens available and use of more than 150 specimens in 2005.
• Responsible for 12 research presentations at the 7th International Conference on Head and Neck Cancer in Washington, DC in 2006. (Comparable to zero in 2000)