Second Opinion — Head & Neck Cancer
Second Opinion for Head & Neck Cancer
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with oral, tongue, throat, laryngeal, pharyngeal, salivary or neck-node cancer, an expert second opinion before treatment can change the path forward. Dr. Vidhyadharan reviews your imaging, biopsy and staging to walk you through every reasonable option.
MCh Head & NeckEuropean Board FEB (ORL-HNS)UK GMC Full RegistrationTeam Leader — India's first TORS-assisted total laryngectomy (2022)40 peer-reviewed publications
When a second opinion matters most
- You've been diagnosed with a head & neck cancer and the treatment plan feels unclear or rushed
- You've been told surgery is the only option and want to understand whether organ-preservation (radiation + chemo, TORS) is reasonable for your tumor
- You've been told radiation is the only option and want to understand whether surgery could offer better outcomes
- Your local team has limited experience with your specific cancer type or subsite
- You want a clear explanation of your TNM stage, margin status, or nodal involvement — in plain language
- Reconstruction is part of the plan and you want to understand flap options and functional outcomes
- You are weighing whether to travel to a higher-volume centre for surgery or radiation
What Dr. Vidhyadharan will review
- Pathology and biopsy reports — including immunohistochemistry and molecular markers when available
- CT, MRI and PET-CT imaging (PDF summaries and full DICOM series)
- Prior operative notes, radiation plans, and systemic therapy records
- Dental evaluation and nutrition status reports if available
- Functional assessments — swallowing, voice, airway — where relevant
- Any multidisciplinary tumor board notes from your local hospital
What you'll receive
- A careful, unhurried 30–45 minute video consultation with Dr. Vidhyadharan
- A plain-language explanation of your diagnosis, stage and prognosis
- A discussion of all reasonable treatment options — surgery, radiation, systemic therapy, immunotherapy, combined modality
- Honest input on the risks, benefits and functional outcomes of each option
- Advice on which additional tests (if any) may be worth requesting from your local team
- A written summary you can share with your local oncologist or surgeon
- Guidance on whether treatment at a high-volume centre in India is a reasonable option for your case
A note from Dr. Vidhyadharan
“Head and neck cancer is one of the areas where two experienced surgeons can offer very different treatment plans — and where the right plan has a lifelong impact on speech, swallowing, breathing and appearance. A second opinion isn't about overruling your local team. It's about making sure you've seen every reasonable path before choosing one.”
— Dr. Vidhyadharan Sivakumar
What an international patient said
“Life-changing treatment under Dr. Vidhyadharan's care at THANC Hospital. His surgical precision and compassionate approach gave me hope during the toughest time. The entire medical team provided exceptional care throughout my recovery.”
Head & Neck Cancer Recovery
Recovered Patient
Frequently asked questions
Sometimes yes, sometimes no — it depends on tumor subsite, T-stage, nodal involvement, vocal cord mobility, and your overall fitness. For selected T2–T3 laryngeal cancers, induction chemotherapy followed by radiation (or chemoradiation) can preserve the larynx. For others, partial laryngectomy or TORS-assisted resection may be feasible. Dr. Vidhyadharan led India's first TORS-assisted total laryngectomy in 2022 and can walk you through what your specific tumor will and will not allow.