At Memorial Sloan Kettering, we know that even after you’ve finished treatment for mouth cancer, you may still need our help. We’re committed to supporting you in every way we can — physically, emotionally, spiritually, and otherwise — for as long as you need us.
We offer comprehensive follow-up care tailored to the unique needs of head and neck cancer survivors. In addition to monitoring for signs that the mouth cancer has come back, we focus on identifying, preventing, and controlling any long-term and late effects associated with mouth cancer and its treatment. Learn more about our follow-up-care program.
We’ve also built a program designed for cancer survivors and their families. Our Adult Survivorship Program has many services for you and your loved ones, including support groups, follow-up programs, educational resources, and more.
Plus, our Resources for Life After Cancer program offers individual and family counseling, lectures, support groups, and practical guidance on employment and insurance issues, among other services. Visit the Adult Survivorship Program to learn more.
Rehabilitation
Speech and swallowing therapists are key members of the head and neck rehabilitation team. In addition, physical and occupational therapists help you improve your mobility after surgery or other treatments.
Our experts help you manage any changes in your speech and pronunciation, tongue or jaw range of motion, voice, or swallowing. They may also recommend other tests to better assess your speech, voice, or swallow function. Your speech and swallowing therapist is involved in your care early after your diagnosis and works with you as long as you need, throughout treatment, recovery, and beyond.
Supportive Care and Pain Management
At Memorial Sloan Kettering, we focus on all aspects of comprehensive cancer care, not just treating the disease. Our specialists in supportive care can help you cope with the side effects of therapy. These include pain, nausea, and fatigue. We can also help with the emotional and spiritual needs that often come up during and after cancer treatment.
Learn more about how our Supportive Care Service can help you throughout the cancer experience.
If you are in pain during your treatments or even after they’re over, we have pain specialists who can help. We will build a plan that makes sense for you and your needs. Our experts can work with your doctor and pharmacists to give you solutions for both acute physical pain, which comes on suddenly, as well as chronic pain, which can linger. Our goal is to keep you as comfortable as possible.
Counseling & Support
Sometimes, you and your loved ones just need someone to talk to, someone who’s trained to help you make sense of your experience before, during, and after treatment.
Our Counseling Center offers both individual and group counseling sessions to help you and your family cope with your disease. These sessions can be a healthy, productive way to work through the stress and anxiety that are sometimes a part of treatment and recovery.
Learn more about how we can support your emotional well-being.
Older Patients
Mouth cancer is a challenge for anyone, regardless of age. But if you’re over 65, you may face challenges unique to your age group. At MSK, we’re committed to providing cancer patients of all ages with the treatment, facilities, and support they need.
Your treatment team will include healthcare professionals who have the specialized training and experience to effectively treat older patients. Every aspect of your care — diagnosis, treatment, recovery, support — will be tailored to meet your particular needs.
Integrative Medicine
Medical treatments — surgery, radiation — are often the best way to treat mouth cancer. Their whole purpose is to get you healthy again. But at MSK, we know that complementary services can help soothe and heal not only your body but also your mind and spirit.
Our Integrative Medicine Service can be a valuable part of your formal treatment plan. Programs we offer include massage, acupuncture, hypnotherapy, meditation, visualization, music therapy, and nutritional counseling. Formal classes include yoga, tai chi, and chair aerobics.
Learn more about the variety of complementary services we offer.
Nutrition
Many people with mouth cancer have questions about diet and nutrition. Our food and nutrition team is trained in helping you understand and cope with a variety of conditions relating to cancer treatment.
Our expert dietitians provide medical nutrition therapy that can help you manage problems with swallowing, or changes in taste, your weight, and other issues. They work closely with your treatment team to customize a dietary plan that fits your own specific needs.
Learn more about our nutrition services for patients and survivors.
Dermatology and Skin Care
We understand that the side effects of cancer treatment that affect your physical appearance can be as upsetting and uncomfortable as any other symptoms you may have. Our dermatology experts can help you manage conditions that affect the health and appearance of your skin and, in some instances, even help prevent them from developing in the first place.
Learn more about how we can help you keep your skin healthy.
Tobacco Treatment
The Tobacco Treatment Program at Memorial Sloan Kettering is ready to help if you’re ready to quit. Giving up tobacco is hard. And quitting while in treatment presents a unique challenge. But it’s a challenge you can overcome, and we can help you do it. We’ll also help family members who want to quit with you.
We’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
