Treatment vs Prevention of Head and Neck Cancer: Are We Doing Our Best for Patients?

Abstract

Along with the relief of suffering, caring for the ill, and avoiding premature death, one of the goals of medicine is disease prevention. The majority of head and neck cancer is preventable. Every head and neck surgeon should ask whether or not our resources and efforts are being used in a manner that will provide maximum benefit to patients. In this commentary, we assess what the outcome might be if all head and neck surgeons focused solely on prevention.